MIAB
by Demons of the arch angel
Summary: Tyson is missing. The Forsaken Fallen are awake. When our heroes uncover the twisted plot of the evil bit-beasts to plunge the world into night and chaos, they have to give it their all to win. The world is depending on them again. The Forsaken Fallen have started this game of destruction. Will they be able to stop the incoming darkness? - Anime
1. Prologue: Solace in Darkness

**Anime: Wassup, my homies? *gets overwhelmed by the stones being thrown at her* Ahhhh!**

 **Rin: Serves her right for ending Awakening of the Forsaken Fallen in that cliffhanger.**

 **Aya: Let's hope we didn't kill her.**

 **Nami: Who knows how to hide a dead body?**

 **Hikaru: Well, to old readers, hello! Thank you so much for sticking with us! This story is dedicated to all of you!**

 **Shun: To the new readers, welcome!**

 **Riku: We finally made it to MIAB, otherwise known as Missing in Action Blader.**

 **Kaori: If you haven't read AOTFF, you might want to read it. You don't have to read it to understand what's going on but it's recommended if you want to understand some things (like why Anime was murdered) and to meet us OC's.**

 **Anime: [surprising recovery] This chapter is in first-point of view and doesn't focus on any of the characters you know. That's right, guys. A new character!**

 **Hikaru and Shun: You can't make new characters until you learn to be nice to them!**

 **Anime: Too late~. Also, happy birthday, Kaori! The birthdays of all the OCs are in my profile so take a look!**

 **Nami: Well, we hope you enjoy this prologue!**

 **Shun: Anime-san doesn't own the Beyblade franchise. She only owns the OC's and the plot. That's it, actually.**

 **Kaori: Chapter time!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Prologue: Solace in Darkness

It's been a long time since I've seen sunlight. A while since I last saw people my own age. I have been a captive for a long time. I've resigned myself to my fate. My fate is to forever live in the shadows. Why should I try to change the fate's design? I have no power over my own fate.

" _Him? Oh. He's been here for years, I think."_

I have companions in the shadows. My captors brought them here some time ago. I don't know how long they've been here. Two males and a female. I don't know them. Not their faces, not their names. I only know their voices. Their fates are similar to mine. We are destined to live in the dark world, cowering away from any source of light. We didn't choose this life, nor had any say in it. It just . . . happened. Destiny loves to harm people, don't you think?

" _Whoa, I wouldn't imagine being here for years. It's too stuffy in here."_

Years? Time was difficult here, considering I had no . . . what was that device called again? A clock, right? Night and day didn't exist either. There were no windows in this prison. I have forgotten my age, and my old life before the darkness. I was five when I was taken, right? How old am I now? I don't know how I look like now either, since there were no mirrors.

" _He hasn't spoken since I got here. I don't know his name, age or how he even looks like. I just know he's a boy because the guard referred to him as a boy."_

When I was young, I knew how I looked like. Spiky navy blue hair. Stormy blue eyes. Olive complexion. Now, I probably looked like a mess. My skin was paler than normal, having been in the darkness longer than normal for a human. My hair had gotten out of control, based on the way it felt when I touched it. My skin was covered in grime. When was the last time I washed? I'm hungry too.

"Brooklyn, Kaori . . . let's talk to him."

I snap back to reality upon hearing that. One of the males wanted to talk to me? Why? What reason would they have for wanting to speak with me? I didn't speak with them so why would they want to know who I am?

"Hey there. . ." The male was getting closer to me. I stiffened and cowered closer to my corner. The male stopped advancing, as if sensing my unease. "It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you."

I didn't dare get closer to him. I didn't know who I was facing. I was scared to see them. No . . . I was scared of them seeing me. I probably looked terrifying. Would they try to get near me if they knew how I looked like? Would they try to get near me if they knew who and what I was or what I had done?

Footsteps. I cringed away as the door opened and a light appeared, coming from the lantern in the man's hands. The man began to speak but I wasn't paying attention. After all, they didn't even acknowledge that I was still here. I was nothing but a puppet anyways. That was all I was good for. After some time, the guard left. But the light remained.

"Hey . . ." A male with navy-blue hair and auburn eyes called out to me. I blinked, seeing him. He . . . Why did he-? Why did he look like me? I didn't understand. He looked like me!

I gently approached him, coming closer to the light from the lantern, and he gasped. Stormy blue eyes met soft auburn eyes. Behind him, the other occupants froze. I had never believed that, in this world, there is someone who is your exact duplicate. A doppelganger. I didn't believe that, if you met your double, it would cause a disruption in the universe.

I was a believer now.

"What in the world?" The brunette girl asked, her mismatched red-blue eyes gleaming in the light. The other male – who had orange hair and blue eyes – just stared at me, in obvious awe.

My double got over his surprise. He smiled and outstretched his hand. I looked at it. He was wearing blue gloves. His hands were clean. He looked _clean_. Pure. My opposite. My mirrored self. He was nothing like me, even if he looked like me. Were the gods so cruel that they would show me an image of what I could have been had they not been as cruel with my fate?

"Hello," The boy said, still smiling brightly. He looks so kind. Why was he stuck here in the darkness? I knew I deserved it but he didn't. He was too bright to be stuck here. Why was he stuck here? "My name's Tyson. Tyson Granger. This is Brooklyn Masefield and Kaori Kumai. What's your name?"

Tyson Granger.

Kaori Kumai.

Brooklyn Masefield.

These names were unfamiliar to me. At the same time, though, I was so glad. I knew names that weren't my own. For the first time in a very long time, I felt a glint of happiness. I didn't get a lot of solace here in the darkness so I felt so happy knowing there were others here to help me.

I smiled, opening my mouth to speak. It had been a long time since I had ever spoken to anyone. But they wanted to know my name. And I wanted them to know me. I want someone to know my name, in case I ever disappear from this world. After all, who wants to be a faceless person in this world, without anyone remembering their name?

The door to the cell opened and two men in black cloaks appeared. My eyes widened in fear as they grabbed me. I stiffened and felt myself get hoisted upwards, knowing what was happening. He wanted to hurt me again. He wanted me to fall into the realm of the shadows. He wanted to take me away from the path of light. He was going to hurt me in more ways than one.

"Wait!" Tyson cried out as they dragged me out. Once again, our eyes met. I was so frightened. I felt as if I'd never to see him, Brooklyn and Kaori again. No! I wouldn't go down without anyone remembering me!

"Takao!" I cried out, as they had me in the doorway, "Takao Kinomiya!"

Tyson's eyes widened and then he nodded, looking at me with sad, sympathetic eyes, "Nice to meet you, Takao." As soon as those words left his mouth, the door closed. I whimpered as I was pulled towards the room where he was waiting. I hated being so weak. By now, though, I was used to it.

" _Ah? Getting attached, Takao?"_

Why didn't I fight back? Why didn't I scream? Why didn't I cry? Why didn't I voice out my pain? It was obvious, wasn't it? I had given up already. I was already doomed. Why should I fight the inevitable? After all, I was nothing. I wasn't even human. That's what they told me. If that's all you hear, you eventually start believing it, right?

" _You should know by now, my dear, that you shouldn't get attached to anything."_

It was stupid, trying to fight back against something that I already knew was going to win. The pain was something so common in my life that I had stopped trying to stop it. Instead, I told myself I deserved it. I had misbehaved and deserved to be punished, the way one would hit a child so they know not to misbehave again. What else could I do anyways?

" _After all, everything is temporary."_

Everything was fragile. We didn't last forever. Like pain, we didn't last long. I had a twisted mentality and I knew it. I blamed him. After all, it was hard to try to fight, to cry, to scream and to tell yourself that you were going to be okay when none of those things worked. The pain always came, whether I did something to stop it or not. I was never safe. And I knew that I'd never be safe. I hadn't known safety since I was taken from my former life and thrust into the shadows when I had been just a child.

" _It's alright though. Sometimes, we want to believe something as trivial as happiness lasts forever."_

Happiness. Hope. Kindness. Dreams. Wonder. Innocence. Love. Acceptance. None of that lasted forever. Eventually, they disappeared, just like life did. Those emotions were fleeting and obsolete. I didn't even know if they were real or not. I hadn't felt those useless emotions in years.

" _But we both know that it eventually ends. Don't we, Takao?"_

I know I used to have hope. Hope that I'd get out of here. Hope that I'd go back home. But that changed when he forced me to kill Hitoshi, my older brother, because he was too weak.

" _Let's make sure you don't forget, okay?"_

Despair. Hopelessness. Anger. Nightmares. Fear. Corruption. Hatred. Rejection. They destroyed me and left an imprint. I could never forget those emotions for they left scars that could never be healed. My heart was filled with all these emotions, seeing how the world was like. I wanted to leave here. I wanted to go away.

" _After all, you're just a puppet. You're not even human."_

But how can I escape this place when he was always in my head, monitoring my thoughts? If I even thought about running away, he'd get me here and teach me why I couldn't. I was weak. I couldn't do anything. All I could do was serve Master by allowing him to possess my body if he required it.

" _You've done terrible things, puppet. Don't you remember how you killed Hitoshi? Remember that his blood is on your hands. Who'd want a murderer around their midst?"_

Takao Kinomiya. Who was that, really? A puppet. A murderer. A monster. He was everything but a human. He was someone who lived in the shadows and would live in darkness forever. He was an agent of chaos and he was to help his Master destroy humanity because they were weak and dirty. He was going to cleanse this world of those filthy creatures and seal away those bit-beasts.

" _You remember your mission, puppet. That's good."_

But . . . was that all I am? Of course it was. That's why I was still alive. I was still alive because I had a mission. After it was completed, I would no longer be of use. I had stopped caring about that. I didn't have a life. I was just a puppet of destruction, after all.

" _Now, don't forget any of that, alright? If you do, we'll have to do this again."_

I sometimes had foolish thoughts. Those thoughts told me to fight back because I was a human and I deserved to live. That I shouldn't resign myself to this fate. But, as I've said, those are foolish thoughts that I'd get rid of as soon as they appeared in my mind.

I've already found solace in the darkness anyways.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Sorry it's so short. I really am, you guys. But, I just wanted to introduce Takao Kinomiya! He is going to be an important character in this fic. And, if you didn't connect the dots, he's the kid "Dark Tyson" has been possessing. I alluded to his presence in AOTFF:**

 **[** The male smirked, "Of course not. Do you think I've captured him [Tyson] yet? This is just a replacement at the moment. The real thing will be able to handle my full power."

"A doppelganger, Shun." Hikaru replied, making Shun look at the intensity of his brother's glare, "Everyone's got one. So, who's the poor kid being possessed by you, huh? No. I've got a better question. Why are you here?" **] – Ch. 3: Comfort in Darkness**

 **[** She [Hilary] was not going to admit that she had kept having this recurring dream where a boy who looked a lot like Tyson – except his eyes were a stormy blue color – was wrapped around in black chains, hanging from a menacing black tree. **] – Epilogue: The Horror Never Ends**

 **Rin: He's a mix between my mentality and Riku's.**

 **Riku: In other words, we pity him.**

 **Aya: Yup.**

 **Nami: Takao has Tyson's looks from Season 1. So, try to imagine Tyson with his original eye color, pale skin, thin, frail and a twisted mentality. If you can do that, then you know how Takao looks like.**

 **Shun: Next chapter – Missing – will focus on the other characters.**

 **Rin: You know the drill. Review, favorite or follow if you liked this story.**

 **Hikaru: To the old readers, be happy! The plot will finally reveal itself, even though you already have your guesses, in this story!**

 **Anime: Again, sorry for that cliffhanger. The muses told me to do it!**

 **Shun: This is Version 2 of MIAB. The original version started differently and took a different route than this. The original version started with another OC, that will come out later here, and then skipped to Tyson-kun and Brooklyn-kun getting kidnapped. Most of us OCs came out in Ch. 6 while only Rin made an appearance at the end of Ch. 5. Anime-san liked this version better.**

 **Aya: That's all for now folks!**

 **All: See you in the next chapter!**

 **Next chapter: Missing**

 **Where Hilary questions Riku's sanity, Max meets the girl he's heard screaming his name, Ray comes across two "mirrors", Hiro, Daichi and Grandpa Granger meet a girl from Hiro's past and Kai comes back to Japan with someone who knows what's going.**


	2. Chapter 1: Missing

**Anime: Welcome folks, to chapter one of MIAB – Missing! In this chapter, we're looking at the main characters of the series and their thoughts. Please tell me if you see any grammatical errors. I'm sure I made several. This chapter shows what happens when you write during the night when you haven't eaten in hours and you're listening to Evanescence, Linkin Park, Three Days Grace, Avenged Sevenfold, Within Temptation, Skillet and Ludo.**

 **Aya: That doesn't mean the OCs aren't coming out!**

 **Nami: We're right here, you guys!**

 **Kaori: The OCs will finally meet up with the main characters.**

 **Hikaru: Not to mention that more information of the Forsaken Fallen will surface. Not to mention a little plot twist!**

 **Shun: Big thanks to those who reviewed/followed/favorited this story! *bows politely* Thank you for reading this! You guys are the greatest.**

 **Rin: Shouldn't we get on with the chapter?**

 **Riku: And we shall, Rin-san. Also, each chapter will be named after a song. This one is named after Missing by Evanescence. Good song.**

 **Ray: We hope that you enjoy chapter one. It's like 8000 words or so.**

 **Kai: Anime doesn't own Beyblade. Beyblade belongs to Aoki Takao, TV Tokyo, etc. Support the official release.**

 **~~~MIAB~~~**

 **1: Missing**

Hilary used to have a normal life. Emphasis on the _used to_ part. Her life had taken a drastic turn when she was kidnapped along with Kenny to force Tyson to beyblade. Back then, beyblading was something stupid and insignificant. Homework, school and cleaning duties had been more important. Again, that had all changed that fateful day.

Now, she was the manager of a beyblade team – the Bladebreakers, once called the BBA Revolution and also known as the G-Revolutions – that won the world championships practically every year. She hadn't expected that this would happen but she had learned to expect the unexpected.

The team consisted of Tyson Granger, Kai Hiwatari, Ray Kon, Max Tate and Daichi Sumeragi. All of them had bit-beasts: ancient and powerful creatures that powered their beyblades and were sometimes coveted by the bad guys. She used to have trouble believing that bit-beasts were real because she couldn't see them but, after Ray's battle against Joseph from the Saint Shields almost two years ago, she was able to see them.

Another key member to the team was Kenny, the brains of the operation. He modified and fixed their blades and he had extensive amounts of data on Beyblades. Just a couple of months ago, he – with the help of Emily and Miguel – had created the Hard Metal System when they couldn't get spare parts to repair their beyblades in order to battle the BEGA team. He also had a bit-beast – Dizzi, who was stuck in his laptop – and was a blader too, owning the blade named Hopper.

Hilary, at the moment, was in the Granger dojo, standing in the doorway of Tyson's room. She refused to enter it, considering everything. The bed was messily done, some papers were cluttering his desk, his closet door was slightly ajar and Dragoon was placed in his bed.

" _Well, I'm off to pick up something! I won't take long!"_

Those were Tyson's last words before he and Brooklyn went missing. It had already been two weeks since their disappearance and they hadn't even found a single clue to where they were at.

Ray, Max and Kenny were out doing their own search while Hiro had taken Grandpa to the police station so they could see how the search was going, Daichi tagging along with them. Tyson and Brooklyn's kidnapping was headlining the news, practically overshadowing the disappearance of the girl Kaori Kumai.

Hilary had wanted to go with the boys to try to find hints of where Tyson and Brooklyn had disappeared to but they had refused, saying she had to take care of the dojo and their guest. Speaking about said guest. . .

Hilary closed the door to Tyson's bedroom and headed towards the dojo, where she and the others had often slept in or had meetings in. That's where their unexpected guest was currently lodging in.

Hilary didn't know much about him, except that the boy had appeared in their doorstep the same day Tyson and Brooklyn went missing. He had muttered a weak "Ray" before he fainted. Ray had claimed he had seen the boy in his recent dreams so that lead to another oddity about their guest.

The other oddity he had? He was barefoot, wearing white clothes and white bracelet that they put on you when you're in the hospital. With the written information in it, they found out that the boy was named Riku Kuonji. He was fifteen years old and he was born on October 30 and had been in room 267 in Neo Flamvell Medical Center under the care of Doctor Isaac Saiga.

They had no idea why he had been in Neo Flamvell Medical Center. According to her research, that place was located in Maizuru in the Kyoto Prefecture, which was miles away from Bey City. Not only that, but most patients that were admitted there were insane, slightly disturbed or had other mental afflictions. And that wasn't the end of it. They had discovered that Riku Kuonji was the only son of Rai and Taishi Kuonji and the heir of Kuonji Corporation, one of the most successful establishments in Japan. So why had he been in a mental hospital? How had he escaped?

Hilary entered the room to find Riku asleep in a futon. He slept most of the time he was here. It was rare seeing him awake. Only Max had seen him awake and had given him food, which was rather odd. It was as if he only liked Max or something. Max had even said that he had spoken to him, calling him "Aya-nee". That made them wonder for Riku's sanity.

Riku was a very thin and pale kid and had light brown hair that almost seemed blonde. Hilary had only seen him awake once and he had shortly passed out afterwards so she didn't know his eye color. He wore no jewelry except for the medical bracelet but he had been carrying a backpack when he showed up. That didn't help them much, though.

Where was Kai during this whole mess? He was in Russia visiting "an old friend". During a phone call almost two days ago or so, Hilary had heard his friend's voice when she had mentioned Riku. He had immediately started trying to get the phone from Kai, asking if Riku was okay and yelling that he was on his way to Japan. Whoever Kai's friend was – because Kai hadn't named him – he had a connection to Riku and Hilary wanted to know about that connection.

Hilary sighed, "What is going on?"

"The end of all normality."

Hilary jumped and her eyes met red-purple eyes. Riku was finally awake! She saw Riku observing her, eyes assessing her as if she was a difficult problem he had to solve. His eyes didn't look right. It was missing something, something that everyone else had. What was it?

"Excuse me?"

Riku closed his eyes and sat up. He was still wearing the clothes they had found him in, refusing to part with the clothes. Hilary wondered when was the last time he had showered and flinched. Surprisingly, though, he smelled nice. Considering everything that had happened, Hilary had expected him to smell worse.

"Hilary Tachibana, right?" Riku asked, opening his eyes slowly, giving him a tired look, "It is very nice to meet you. My name is Riku Kuonji and I'm insane."

For a brief moment, Hilary wondered if he was joking. When he didn't start laughing and just stared at her with a blank stare, she realized that he was serious, "Er. . . You're insane, huh?"

Riku nodded seriously, speaking in a monotone, "Mad as a hatter. I hear voices and I have hallucinations. Is that normal? Of course not, I know that. I also have mental and emotional breakdowns. Not to mention that I'm dangerous."

Hilary resisted the urge to flinch away. It was scary the way he was just telling her that he was crazy and dangerous. She really wished that he was kidding. Then, Hilary finally realized what was missing in his eyes.

Emotions.

He didn't look happy, sad, angry or anything else. His eyes were dead and emotionless. His eyes were inhumane. He also looked really tired, as if he was carrying the weight of the world. She hated seeing those eyes. She hated that he looked so tired even though he was her age. No one she knew had the look Riku had. Even Kai and the Blitzkrieg Boys didn't have that look, even though they had a harsh past. At least they showed emotions.

"Oh, I see-."

"You're a lot like her. Fuyu-san, I mean. You have a similar aura to her." Riku interrupted and turned to her, his gaze calculating. He seemed to look right through her with that look. Hilary gulped. She really wished that the others would come back soon. She was already getting scared of the boy and he hadn't even said anything resembling a threat.

"Um, Riku," Hilary coughed, "About what you said earlier. That normality is ending. What do you mean by that?"

"That is what is going on, Tachibana-san," He responded, "Madness is something people don't think about as a serious problem and ignore it. Those who are insane are outcasts of society because they're not like them. All people want is order because that's what they call 'normal'. But _he_ is going to bring chaos into this 'normal' world and change it. It'll be something odd, don't you think? Most people will go mad. The weak-minded will go mad and the strong-minded will too. There won't be any person who isn't mad."

"Who is bringing chaos?" Hilary asked.

Riku looked at something behind her, "The Forsaken Fallen. They crave chaos, the destruction of humanity and eternal night. They'll cover the world in darkness, you see. And they're going to take me the way they took Tyson and I'll no longer be insane because I'm going to become his vessel and I won't be anything-."

"What do you mean they took Tyson? Are you saying that the people who kidnapped Brooklyn and Tyson are the Forsaken Fallen?" Hilary interrupted Riku, worried about the boy because he had a maniacal glint in his eyes. It was very creepy. Perhaps he was insane.

Riku nodded, "Of course. They took him like they did ten years ago. They kidnapped all of us. We were kept in that dark room and they hurt us physically, mentally and emotionally. Most of us died while only eleven survived. But I think I died too. I don't feel alive."

"They kidnapped you? What?" Hilary asked.

Riku started staring at the wall, "Chaos and night were the first to arrive and then the rest followed. Earth, sky and the void came first. Vengeance, magic and death changed the world. Spring, summer, autumn and winter are forms of time. All will eventually return to chaos and night."

Hilary shivered at those familiar words, the ones Dizzi had recited when she came back to tell them about the Forsaken Fallen. Riku had a connection with them, if he knew so much. It was a shame that he wasn't cooperating. With all these symptoms, she just knew that the boy had schizophrenia.

"Riku-."

Riku's eyes widened suddenly and he clutched his head, "He's angry with us."

"Riku, calm down," Hilary placed her hands on his shoulders, making his wide eyes turn to her. She felt sympathy towards the boy. He looked like a frightened animal that had been abused by its former owner before being abandoned so it could die. "You're okay now. You don't need to be afraid."

Riku was shaking uncontrollably, looking at Hilary with those terrified eyes. He didn't look inhumane or crazy now. He looked like those scared little kids that were lost and cried for their mothers. He buried his face in her neck, wrapping his arms around her. Hilary was surprised by his actions but then returned the hug. He looked like her really needed it.

"Fuyu-san . . ." He muttered weakly, " _Iroiro to arigatogozaimasu."_

Hilary had no idea who Fuyu was but, for some reason, she kept imagining a female around her late twenties with long black hair and a streak of white in her bangs, covering one of her light purple eyes. She was grinning brightly, holding something in her hands. The image vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Hilary felt Riku's hold on her tighten, mumbling in another language that wasn't Japanese. Several thoughts rushed through her mind as she held the quivering boy. Only one of the questions kept being replayed inside her mind.

 _What is going on?_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Max was wandering Bey City alone, searching for possible places to where Brooklyn and Tyson were at. Recently, the search had taken up most of his time. The only leads they had to the disappearance was that they found a package near this old park that had Tyson's name on it. Inside the package was a broken sculpture that Max had realized had been the thing Tyson had left to retrieve.

The day Tyson and Brooklyn disappeared kept repeating itself on his head. Tyson had called him in the morning to arrange a small get-together in the dojo. Max had agreed and then went to watch the news. The protests to ban Beyblade had gotten under his skin and had nearly soured his morning. His father had noticed and turned off the television, saying that there was a letter for Max from his mother.

The letter had said that they were having worse problems in America and that protestors had practically attacked their lab. However, she got aid by the Sakamoto family. She went into great lengths talking about Ren and Natasha Sakamoto, that were also supporting them. She even mentioned their daughter – Nami, who was a year younger than him – was interested in blading herself and was a big fan.

She had started talking about the other influential families that were supporting them – the Kuwashima family, the Orikasa family, the Kumai family – and had said that most of the influential people in the world that had been against them had cowered in fear when Rin Mizushima and Seto Kaiba had both decided to support their cause. Things were looking up now so there was a good chance that they wouldn't ban the sport.

After that, Max was a bit happier. He left the house and headed to the Granger dojo, meeting with Ray along the way. He told the Chinese blader about his mother's letter and he had been ecstatic about the news. They arrived at the dojo where Kenny, Hilary, Daichi and Tyson were already waiting. Max shared the news and they were all happy for that.

They spoke about anything and everything, laughing and enjoying each other's company. Then, Tyson had left to get something and they waited for him to come back. Ray ran out of the house and they saw Riku standing in front of the house before he eventually passed out.

After getting the boy inside, they decided to go looking for Tyson, deciding that he was taking way too long. When they found the package with his name on it, they immediately called the police and they discovered that Brooklyn and Tyson had been there. The odd thing was that they found some of Kaori Kumai's hair in the scene as well and she had been reported missing some time ago.

The following days after that were filled with chaos. Kenny suspected that they were kidnapped by anti-Beyblade protestors. Tyson and Brooklyn were professional bladers and were dangerous – as seen during their match – while Kaori was a blader herself, her family being some of their main supporters. However, Max didn't think that was the case. Not when thoughts of the Forsaken Fallen – that Dizzi had mentioned to them – were fresh in his mind.

Dizzi had been monitoring them for a year and, according to her, had been awakened during the battle between Brooklyn and Tyson. They were dangerous and powerful bit-beasts that wanted to destroy humanity, let chaos rule the world and shroud the world in eternal darkness.

From what he had learned from Dizzi, there were twelve of them, each of them as cruel as the other. They had been sealed away by Dragoon, Driger, Draciel and Dranzer when they nearly destroyed humanity thousands of centuries ago. They had woken up once ten years ago but they willingly returned to their slumber. That part was what chilled Max. Why did they go to sleep when they were finally free from their imprisonments?

Were they waiting for something? If so . . . what?

" _Jinsei wa shinsetsude koseideatta baai, osoraku, watashi wa gokana seikatsu o okuru koto ni narimasu."_

Max stopped walking to hear the song. That voice was familiar. He'd often hear it screaming his name in the middle of the night. He turned around to see long blonde hair turn a corner.

" _Watashi wa rakuen de odotte iru hazudesu. Doramu no yawarakai bito wa watashi no komori-utdearou."_ The girl kept singing and Max could hear her getting farther away from him. He needed to know who she was.

Max decided to chase after her, turning the corner. There! She had her back facing towards him, not knowing that he was behind her. Max began to walk faster to catch up to her. She might help him understand why he kept hearing her scream in the middle of the night.

" _Shikashi, watashihadare o karakatte imasu ka? Kaosu wa watashinojinsei o shihai shi, kurayami wa watashi o hipparu._ _Rakuen de no seikatsu no tame ni amarini mo oku._ _Watashi wa kage ni nagusame o mitsukemashita."_

Max had finally caught up with her. "Wait!" He cried out, grabbing her wrist to stop her from walking. The girl gasped and turned around and Max finally looked into the face of the unknown speaker. . . .

. . . Only to get slapped in the face.

"Ow!"

"You're one of those nasty perverts Rin told me about!" The girl shrieked, Max holding his injured cheek, "I'm so glad I took up his offer and studied judo with him!" She got into a battle position, eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

"W-wait! You got the wrong idea!" Max cried out before she could do anything.

The girl blinked, "Wait a minute . . . Max Tate?!"

Max finally had time to take a good look at the girl. She was tall and lithe and appeared to be around his age. She was wearing a sky-blue sundress but the outfit might have looked better if she wasn't wearing a black jacket over it. She had long blonde hair that was similar to his own and bright purple eyes. She was rather pretty, Max thought, hiding a blush.

The girl gasped, "Oh my goodness, I am really sorry I hit you like that! Are you okay? Hikaru tells me that my slaps hurt like hell so I hope your cheek doesn't sting that badly. I thought you were a pervert . . . Sorry."

Max sighed, rubbing his cheek, "I'll be fine, Miss . . ."

"My name is Aya. Aya Orikasa, pleased to meet you." Aya grinned. For a moment, Max saw a little of Tyson in that smile but that thought disappeared in an instant. He shouldn't be thinking about that now. There was something else that Max wanted to know. Wait . . . did she say . . .?

"You're Aya Orikasa?!" Max exclaimed at the petite girl. She nodded and Max was left in shock. This girl was famous, being the only daughter of Orikasa Industries, and she was one of the many who thought that Beyblade should continue. So she was the one that he kept hearing at night?

"Yeah, in the flesh. Who else would I be?" She asked, eyes wandering, as if she was looking for something. She gave out a small 'hmm', "I thought that being alone would attract them to me but I guess I was wrong . . ."

"What's that?" Max asked.

Aya stiffened suddenly. She grabbed Max's hand, "Time to go! He's coming here and I don't think he'll like that you're here." She started running, Max having no choice but to follow, wondering why she was acting this way.

"Who's coming?" Max asked as they turned towards a street filled with several people. Aya glanced his way, suddenly looking serious. Max decided that he preferred her when she was carefree and smiling. Aya looking this serious was unnatural. Max frowned. Why would he think like that? He didn't even know the girl. For all he knew, she was always serious.

Aya stopped in front of a café shop, pushing him inside. Max nearly fell forward but caught himself before he did. Aya closed the door behind her and sighed in relief, "I doubt they'll find us here . . ."

"You didn't answer my question." Max whispered. He had no idea why he was whispering but he felt the need to do so. Aya looked around and led him to a table far from the other customers.

"Well," Aya pursed her lips, "that might have to wait for a little while. I came here to Japan because there were news that Tyson Granger and Kaori Kumai have gone missing. Is that true?"

"Yeah. So has Brooklyn Masefield, you know. . ." Max started and then was surprised by the look of horror that was present on Aya's face. He raised his hands, "Um, hey, it's going to be okay! Don't you worry, the police are already in the case-."

"They'll never find them." Aya muttered, "Ten years ago, they never found us until we managed to escape. Humanity might as well be screwed. . ." She was silent, looking at the table with a look of despair. Max wondered what she was talking about so he could help her.

A waitress eventually came to their table, asking if they wanted to order anything. Max ordered the same thing for both him and Aya, even though he didn't know if she would like what she got. The waitress glanced at them both and grinned at Max, giving him a wink. Max wondered what that was about.

"Okay, you're confusing me. Can you tell me what's going on?" Max asked and that got Aya's attention.

"Well, I know this may be a long shot but have you heard of the Forsaken Fallen?" Aya asked, keeping her voice low so only she and Max could hear the conversation. Max's eyes widened in recognition, something Aya caught. "I see that you do," She looked around again, "What do you know about them?"

"According to Dizzi, they're twelve powerful bit-beasts that want to destroy humanity, bring darkness to the world and let chaos rule it all. They were sealed away thousands of centuries ago by the sacred spirits but they awoke once ten years but returned their slumber after a while. They awakened again because of Tyson and Brooklyn's match during the Justice 5 tournament. That's all I know." Max replied, watching Aya's reaction.

Aya nodded, placing a hand on her cheek and leaning on it, "You got the gist of it, alright. However, I think I need to fill in some holes in your story. When they first woke up ten years ago, when the seal was broken, they decided to look for tamers."

"Tamers?" Max asked.

Aya sighed, scratching her head, "I forget, you guys don't use our terminology. Well, a tamer is the person that controls, or works together with, the bit-beast. You, for example, are Draciel's tamer."

"Oh, I see." Max replied.

Aya frowned, growing tense, "Unlike your relationship with Draciel, these guys planned to possess their tamers and use them as vessels to destroy the world."

"I don't think I'd like that type of a relationship. It doesn't sound healthy." Max muttered, feeling chills run down his spine. He'd hate someone taking over his body so they could do whatever they pleased with it.

"You're right, Max," Aya responded, stopping for a moment when the waitress came back with their order. They both thanked the waitress and, when she left, Aya continued, "It's not healthy. Humans can't take the amount of power that the bit-beasts have. That's why normal bit-beasts don't possess their tamers. It strains the tamer and might kill him or her if the bit-beast uses too much power."

"Well, it seems the Forsaken Fallen don't care if they do kill their tamers," Max growled out, taking a sip from the tea he had ordered.

"They don't. They observe them as tools, not equals." Aya replied, also taking a sip from her tea. She had more grace when she drank it, though. Max wasn't that surprised about that. She was from a wealthy family.

"That's not how it's supposed to be," Max replied, "They're supposed to be equals, fighting together to achieve their goal. Dragoon and Tyson are a good example of how a relationship between bit-beast and tamer is supposed to be."

Aya placed her cup down, "Well, as I was saying, they went out to look for tamers. Whenever a person had an aura that made it possible for them to be tamers, they would kidnap those people. They'd then possess those people to see if they're worthy of them."

Max's eyes widened, "Wait . . . does that mean . . .?"

Aya nodded, their eyes meeting, "They'd unleash most of their power when they were inside their human vessels. The humans wouldn't survive."

Max looked down at his cup of tea, "How awful. How can they be so cruel?"

Aya crossed her arms, looking down, "They're heartless beings, that's why. They don't seem to understand kindness. However, certain humans didn't die when they underwent that test. In fact, their auras were compatible to the Forsaken Fallen."

Max took another sip from his tea, before setting it down. He quickly processed that information and spoke, "You're telling me that they successfully found tamers?"

Aya nodded, "Correct, Max. They didn't start their plans of chaos, darkness and destruction yet because their tamers were so young. The youngest was four and the eldest eleven. They couldn't do much with that, don't you think? Instead, they decided to keep their tamers, along with several other children that somehow survived the tests as well, with them. It didn't go as planned when they managed to escape, though. Out of all the hundreds of children they had kidnapped, only eleven managed to get away alive."

Max closed his eyes, "You were one of the survivors, weren't you?"

Aya jumped and Max opened his eyes, "You know this much because you survived the whole ordeal and I know you're one of the tamers. The question is who the bit-beast that has claimed you as a tamer is."

Aya blinked and then smirked, "Pretty perceptive, Max. You're right: I am a tamer and a survivor. As for which one of the Forsaken Fallen has chosen to me to be its tamer . . . I think you should have a pretty good idea."

Max reached into his pocket and dug out Draciel. The beyblade was shaking and the bit-chip was glowing. Max bit his lower lip and looked into Aya's eyes. He had an idea of who the bit-beast that had chosen Aya was. It would make sense, now that he thought about it. Aya seemed strangely connected to water because of her family business. He kept hearing her voice from Draciel and his bit-beast was reacting this strangely because he was close to her.

Max nodded, "Yes, I know who has chosen you to be their tamer."

For a brief moment, Aya's hair turned purple while her eyes turned black. That moment vanished and Aya smiled sadly, "You're correct. I was chosen by the one born to oppose Draciel. I am Dark Draciel's tamer."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Ray was sitting alone in a park bench, contemplating the recent events. He was practically ignoring the surroundings. The sounds of children laughing in glee were mute to his ears. The wind blowing gently didn't faze him. He didn't feel any of his surroundings. He was deaf, mute and blind to the world around him. No one could blame him, though. He had too much in his mind, after all.

Not only were the disappearances of Tyson and Brooklyn in his mind, so were the appearance of Riku Kuonji and the awakening of the Forsaken Fallen. Those thoughts occupied his mind and, if he didn't find the solution to this problem, he'd probably go mad.

Riku Kuonji was the first oddity that had appeared on his life. The male was a mystery and their odd connection a greater one. Ray couldn't understand how they had both known each other's names before meeting. Sure, Riku could've been a fan and, therefore, known his name. But the way Riku had looked at him was something that haunted his mind.

Sorrow. Happiness. Hatred. Love.

Riku seemed happy yet sad to see him. Seemed to love him yet hate him. It reminded Ray a lot of the yin-yang concept. Darkness and light fighting against each other but coexisting because they couldn't exist without the other. Riku reminded him too much of that and Ray wanted to know why that was.

Ray had sensed Riku coming to the dojo and had heard his voice in his mind before their meeting. He had seen Riku in his dreams and in brief hallucinations. Not only that, but his beyblade would start shaking whenever he was near Riku's location and Driger's bit-chip would begin to glow brightly. According to Dizzi, this happened because Driger was sensing the tamer of his opposite.

That reminded Ray a lot of the conversation he had had with Riku about the subject.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Three days ago_

 _Ray was restless, his sleep haunted by visions of a boy with flaming red hair, red eyes and red wings crying to Kai to kill him for the sake of humanity. Kai, oddly enough, had been crying, saying there must be another way. Ray woke up hearing the screams of anguish of both Kai and the other male._

 _Ray was walking the quiet corridors of the dojo when he heard a soft voice singing in the room where Riku was sleeping in. He stopped and stared at the door, wondering if he should enter the room. After a moment, Ray decided that he should go for it and entered, drawing the attention of the only occupant._

 _Riku smiled at him, "Hello, Ray Kon. It is a pleasure to meet you during the witching hour. Why would they call midnight the 'witching hour' anyways? Not very original, don't you think? I would call it something else. Perhaps the spirit hour. Witches can fly around anytime they want but spirits like to linger during midnight. Seems fitting, don't you think?"_

 _Ray had no words. He was extremely confused on what was going on. Riku was an oddity and he spoke rapidly about odd things. Riku's eyes were currently hidden by his bangs, giving him an eerie look._

" _Hello, Riku," Ray replied and stood awkwardly in the doorway. Riku turned his head to a spot on his side, as if telling Ray to sit down there. Ray complied and felt awkward when the other didn't speak. He was just looking down, his eyes covered by his long hair._

" _How does it feel, Ray?" Riku asked._

" _Huh?"_

 _Riku bit his lower lip, "How does it feel not having another voice inside your head that tells you to murder the person next to you?"_

 _Ray stiffened, not expecting that question. Riku lifted his head and Ray's eyes widened. Riku's eyes were glowing a bright golden color and they were cat-like in shape. He looked at Ray's wide eyes and smiled, looking up at the ceiling, "I always hear him, Ray. He tells me to destroy you and curse Driger. He's a very cruel creature. He drags me closer to the darkness as days go by. How can I stay sane if this continues? What can I do?"_

 _Ray felt those glowing orbs turn to him and shivered. His beyblade began to shake in his pocket and he could see a faint glow coming from it. He reached into his pocket and took out Driger, both teens turning to look at the blade. It was shaking uncontrollably now and the glow became brighter. "Why is it reacting this way with you?" Ray asked._

 _A cold hand covered the blade and both teens looked up to meet each other's eyes. Riku smiled softly, his glowing eyes giving him a maniacal glint, "It's obvious, isn't it? He senses his darkness is close by."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Ray groaned, leaning back on the bench. If both Dizzi and Riku were right, then the reason his blade was acting strangely was because Riku was the tamer of Driger's opposite, a member of the Forsaken Fallen.

Dark Driger.

Ray didn't know what this meant for the future of Driger, Riku and himself. He knew one thing for sure, though. Things weren't going to end up pretty. After all, they had to take down the Forsaken Fallen. If they didn't, then-.

"Penny for your thoughts?" A voice asked and Ray sat up straight, seeing a boy around his own age sitting down on his left. He had messy blue hair and playful red eyes. He was dressed in all black – shirt, jeans and jacket – except for his white shoes and wore a leather necklace with a shining black stone. He was grinning, showing brilliant white canines.

"Huh?" Ray asked.

"Oh, ignore him, Ray-san. He likes to jolt people out of their thoughts. I think he's compensating for the fact that he doesn't get lost in his own thoughts." Another voice inputted and Ray turned to the right and jumped, meeting a similar face with the same eyes and hair.

Ray looked to his left and right, confused for a moment before realizing that he was sitting in between identical twins. Whoa, they looked eerily similar at first glance with the same hair color and eye color. Now that he was looking properly at the twin at the right, he could spot the differences.

The twin on the right seemed less wild than the one on the left. He had soft red eyes and combed blue hair. He, opposite to his brother, was wearing all white except for his black shoes and he wore a leather necklace with a shining blue stone. The brothers seemed so similar yet so different.

 _Yin-yang._

"C'mon, don't be so mean to me, Shun." The black-clad twin replied, pouting. He placed his hands on the back of his head, "Besides, how else were we gonna get him outta his thoughts? He might as well have been in Asgard!"

The white-clad twin – Shun – shook his head, shooting Ray an apologetic look that seemed to read 'I'm sorry my brother is such an idiot', "There are better ways to get someone out of their own thoughts, Hikaru-nii. You lack tact."

Hikaru rolled his eyes, shooting Ray a look that read 'I have to deal with this everyday', "You've been spending too much time with Rin, ya know? You're starting to talk a lot like him."

Another difference of the brothers: their voice and mannerisms. Hikaru was loud and rude while Shun was quiet and polite. Ray had heard that twins were, sometimes, opposites but these two only seemed to share similar features. Everything about them was different. Who could have a hard time trying to tell the difference between the two?

Shun shook his head, "We're getting off topic here, Hikaru-nii," Shun turned his full attention to Ray, "after all, we only came to Bey City for them."

"Right, right, I hear ya." Hikaru replied before looking at Ray as well.

"Have you ever heard," They asked in unison, "of the Forsaken Fallen?"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Hiro Granger felt like crap. He wasn't always around for Tyson and he knew that. He always felt guilty about not being around and being a better brother. He kept telling himself that Tyson understood and he was fine. But Tyson wasn't fine. He got over the fact that Hiro had left him alone with their grandfather all those years ago. When Hiro joined BEGA, it was the last straw for Tyson. He refused to speak to him and had grown distant. Hiro hadn't blamed him for it and had decided to give him space. He'd apologize when Tyson wasn't too upset.

Then Tyson was kidnapped.

Hiro had felt his heart stop the moment his grandfather had told him the news through the phone. Hell, he had rushed to the dojo in record speed after ending the call, desperately wishing that it wasn't true.

Two weeks had passed and they still hadn't found a sign to where Tyson or Brooklyn had been taken. The case was getting even more complicated when they discovered traces of another missing person – a fifteen year old girl named Kaori Kumai – in the area where Tyson and Brooklyn had been kidnapped.

Hiro groaned, burrowing his face on his hands. He, along with Daichi and Grandpa, had gone to the office of K. Kurumada, a young man that specialized in finding missing people and was currently working to find Tyson and Brooklyn. He had been working for ten years on the division and Grandpa had decided to talk to him. When Hiro questioned him about it, his grandpa merely replied that he knew the young man very well.

Daichi turned to him, giving him a sympathetic look, "Don't worry about a thing, Hiro. We'll find Tyson and Brooklyn."

During these two weeks, Daichi had matured quite a bit. He was less rowdy and wild, something that worried Hiro. He knew the boy was taking Tyson and Brooklyn's disappearance badly, especially Tyson's. Hiro had even caught him getting lost in thought during dinner.

Hiro looked up to give him a soft smile, "Thank you, Daichi. Yes, we'll find them. Both Tyson and Brooklyn will be found."

"But how long do you think that'll take?" An unfamiliar voice asked. Both males turned to the left to see the speaker. The one who had spoken was a female who looked to be around fourteen. She had long, light navy blue hair that was up in two ponytails and bluegreen eyes. She wore a light blue sweater, a pink skirt, white socks that made it up to her knees and dark brown shoes.

Hiro felt as if he should remember that girl. She looked so familiar. Where had he seen her before? This was the first time he had met her, right? Then why did he feel that he had met her before?

" _Thank you, Hiro-nii!"_

Hiro shook his head and Daichi spoke, "Who are you?" The red-head felt something was off about the girl. She might look harmless but Daichi felt that there was more to the girl that what she let on.

The girl smiled and Hiro, once again, felt that he had met the girl before, "My name is Nami. Nami Sakamoto. It's a pleasure to meet you. I know who you both are so there is no need for introductions." She glanced at the door where Grandpa Granger was speaking with Kurumada, "I came here to have a chat with an old friend but it seems luck is in my favor if I was able to meet you guys."

For a moment, Nami's eyes glowed but then stopped. Daichi narrowed his eyes at that but didn't say anything. Nami sat down next to them, humming softly. She turned to Hiro, "How's the search going?"

"Wha-?"

"I'm asking if they've found a trace of Tyson or not, Hiro-nii." She replied, pouting, "I'd ask about Brooklyn but, no offense, he's not that important at the moment. With Tyson in their hands, the Forsaken Fallen will cause a lot of harm."

"Did you say the Forsaken Fallen?" Daichi asked, giving the odd girl his full attention. He remembered Kenny's laptop speaking about them the day Riku appeared and Tyson and Brooklyn went missing. Were they behind their disappearances?

Nami nodded, suddenly looking serious, "Yeah, they are. I came here because all of us are here and Tyson was kidnapped here. Not to mention the disturbances come from here . . ."

"What was that?" Daichi asked and Nami turned to Hiro. The older male froze upon seeing her eyes. Those eyes. Those eyes that belonged to the girl who seemed so familiar to him. They reminded him of-.

 _Darkness . . . pain . . . blood-red eyes gazing at him . . . hunger . . . crying children . . . needles . . . loneliness . . . an ear-splitting scream of terror coming from someone he cares for. . . dying children . . . so much pain. . ._

Hiro gritted his teeth and held his head. Nami blinked, "Well, then. It seems that the memories were repressed with hypnotism rather than naturally like Kaori's. I wonder, is it just one word or a phrase?"

"What's going on?" Daichi asked, looking between the calm Nami and the pained Hiro. He knew he was missing something. What memories of Hiro's were repressed? Why was this girl trying to find out, anyways? What was she trying to do? Daichi had a lot of questions but no answers. He didn't like that at all.

Nami bit her lower lip in thought before she grinned, "I bet it's that damn phrase that they always insisted we say but we would refuse, right? After all, none of us would like to say it. Bet you decided that this would be the phrase to lock Tyson and your memories, right?"

"Hey! What are you trying to do?"

Nami looked Hiro dead in the eyes, "Do you remember anything when you were eleven or is everything a blank?"

"I . . ."

"I know what happened." Nami whispered, eyes shining with determination, "If you allow me, I'll unlock those memories you hid away to forget living on hell. After all, they could be the key to finding Tyson, Kaori and Brooklyn before it's too late." At that, Hiro's eyes widened. Could finding out what happened when he was eleven really help figuring out what was going on? Could he help find his little brother?

"Do it."

The door to the office opened as Nami spoke, "We are the servants of night, chaos and destruction."

Hiro couldn't say anything as thousands of memories assaulted him. He held his head as he saw several children – _Aya, Rin, Tyson, Raul, Julia, Mio, Sarah, Riku, Kaori, Natsu, Nami, Shun, Hikaru, Jack, Alice, Sienna, Aster, Yuna, Asuna, Christian, Adam, Yudai, Nikko, Taka, Taro, Allen, Freyr, Aziza, Heru, Neith, Omari, Sekhet, Arvada, Ejnar, Ester, Haki, Oliver, Akina, Joseph, Miley, Philip, Ann, Goku, Hajime_ – crying in pain as something attacked them – _He's angry with us_ – while someone laughed sadistically.

 _A dark blue dragon glaring at him. A starving Raul. A sobbing Julia. Aya inside a water tank. Tyson and Shun on top of operating tables. Rin hanging from pole, screaming, as fire surrounded him. Hikaru being thrown into a pit and being buried. Nami screaming as they dragged her away. Fuyu giving him a smile. Riku sleeping on his lap. Red eyes staring at him from the darkness. Kaori screaming as they placed her in a chair made of thorns. Ann trying to save Jack but getting hit with a whip, screaming as she fell. All of them sitting in chairs and screaming as intense pain washed over them._

" _Hiro!"_

Hiro cried out and found himself back in the office with Nami touching his shoulder, staring at him with sympathetic eyes. Daichi looked confused but worried. His grandfather looked scared and worried while the young man next to his grandpa – a man in his early thirties with black hair and brown eyes – seemed sympathetic, worried, afraid and confused.

"Hiro?" Daichi asked, looking at the young man. After Nami had said those words, he had tensed up before his hands had gone to the side of his head as he began to tremble, eyes widening. He had looked so terrified of something Daichi didn't know. The girl hadn't allowed him to get near him, though, saying that Hiro was just remembering. Remembering what, Daichi had been tempted to ask but had held his tongue.

Hiro looked up, his eyes looking older and worn, as if he had seen all the horrors of the world. Nami's eyes softened more, "You remember everything, don't you? You saw what they did."

"Yes, I did." Hiro muttered.

Daichi looked at both and then gave out a loud yell of frustration, "Are any of you two going to tell me what's going on?!"

"Easy," The one who had spoken was the dark-haired male who was standing next to Grandpa Granger, "it seems Miss Sakamoto has made Hiro remember about the event ten years ago when they were both kidnapped."

"No," Nami said, giving them a weak smile, "I made him remember our personal hell so he can understand that the fate of the world is hanging by a small thread and that he is a crucial member of this dangerous game."

"After all," Hiro said, facing the others, "this is just a game."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"You look like a nerd, Rin." Kai said aloud, giving his companion a devious smirk. His companion looked up, shooting him a death glare. Kai's companion was a pale sixteen year old boy with raven-black hair and brilliant blue eyes that were hidden by black-rimmed glasses. The male was dressed in black slacks, a white shirt and a black blazer. In his hands were several documents that he had insisted were important.

"Shut up, Hiwatari," Rin shot back before he looked down, fixing his glasses, "I require glasses because, unlike you, I read in my spare time. Far more productive than Beyblading, if you ask me. Besides, I don't need them all the time. I just need them to read."

Since hearing about the disappearances of Tyson, Brooklyn and Kaori, the two half-Russians had been talking about their new enemies, the ones known as the Forsaken Fallen. After discussing that, Rin began looking through the family trees of every person that was a tamer for a member of the Forsaken Fallen. Of course, the proud boy refused to tell Kai what he was doing. Kai knew that the other was going to tell him eventually. His childhood friend hadn't changed many of his old ways.

That didn't mean Kai wasn't annoyed that Rin hadn't told him why this was important.

Kai rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "If you think like that, why would you support us? You could've gone anti-Beyblade and the whole world would've followed after you."

When the protestors had demanded the sport to be banned – after witnessing the destructive nature of Beyblading in the Justice 5 tournament – Mizushima Enterprises had been a sponsor the BBA desperately needed to continue. Since he was the head of that major corporation, Rin was in charge of the decision to support them or stand against them.

After a public riot to ban the sport, Rin had hated how uncouth the anti-Beyblade protestors had been in their approach ("If they had wanted to win this debate, they shouldn't have pulled that stunt. The public will lean towards us, now."). After that, Rin had publicly announced that he was going to support the BBA, giving them a high chance to keep Beyblade around.

"I like doing charity cases." Rin retorted, as he skimmed through the documents, "Without my support, Beyblading would already be banned. After all, are you forgetting that I got many protestors to back down in that petty social event you took me to? Ugh, they were all idiots." The last part was muttered under his breath but Kai managed to hear it.

Kai sighed, "Whatever. What the hell are you doing, anyways?"

"Searching through family trees, as I've told you before," Rin replied, never taking his eyes off the document. He frowned, pointing his index finger at one part before tracing upwards, "I need to know if I have any living relatives."

"What for?" Kai asked as he sat down next to his old friend. The two were at a library – of all the places around, Rin had decided to review the documents here – in Bey City. Kai had no idea why the other wasn't rushing to the Granger dojo when he had been ready to do it a couple of days ago when he had heard Riku was there.

Rin huffed, looking up at Kai, "Well, haven't you noticed that people from the same family tend to be tamers for bit-beasts?"

Kai raised an eyebrow, urging Rin to go on. Rin looked at the documents in front of him, biting his lower lip in thought, "Think about the White Tiger team. Lee and Mariah have bit-beasts and they're both siblings, right? Well, Kevin and Gary also have bit-beasts and they're just cousins."

"So, you're saying if one member of the family has a bit-beast, there is a possibility that another member of that family might have one too?"

"Exactly," Rin replied, nodding his head in agreement, "I'm a tamer for a member of the Forsaken Fallen, as you already know." Kai nodded, Rin having told him everything he knew of the twelve dark bit-beasts, including the bit-beast that had chosen him as a tamer.

"Well," Rin fixed his glasses, before turning to look at Kai, "Let's say I drop dead now, right? I think there is a high possibility that a member of my family would take my place as _his_ tamer. This theory is plausible, considering the bit-beasts the Majestics have in their possessions have been passed down through their family since ancient times."

"And you're looking for any living relatives that might become the next tamer in case you die?" Kai questioned and Rin responded with a nod.

"Luckily, I haven't found any living relative yet," Rin replied, searching his family tree again, "If I die, it'll be a pain searching for someone with a compatible aura."

"What about the others?" Kai asked.

"Well, they all have cousins because their parents weren't only children, unlike mine," Rin replied, taking off his glasses and setting them aside, "It seems they could be disposed of if they don't listen to orders or submit. Damn, this isn't good news."

"What isn't?" Kai asked, narrowing his eyes.

Rin sighed, rubbing his eyes, "There are good news and bad news. What do you want to hear first?" This was a bad sign, Kai thought to himself. When Rin asked if you want to hear 'good news or bad news', it meant that the situation wasn't good.

"The good news." Kai replied.

Rin looked up, staring at one of the many bookshelves. Kai grew tense at the sight. Whenever Rin didn't want to meet his gaze when telling him something, that meant it wasn't something good to hear. "Well, it turns out that I do have relatives." He spoke softly but his eyes were as cold and jaded as ever. He didn't seem happy about finding out he had living relatives.

"Well?" Kai prompted, nudging him softly so Rin could look at him directly in the eyes. He wanted to know who these relatives were, "Who are they?"

"In the Mizushima family tree, I noticed that Hikaru Mizushima, sister of my great-great-great grandfather Rin Kaage Mizushima, was married to a man named Yudai Kumai." Rin sighed rather loudly, " _Kumai_ , Kai. I'm a distant relative to Kaori Kumai from my father's side."

Kai's eyes widened in surprise, "You hit the nail on the head on that theory of yours, Mizushima. Both you and Kaori are tamers of those dark bit-beasts, after all. Well then, what about Natasha's side?"

"From my mother's side, there is only one. These are where the bad news start, you see. He's her cousin from my grandmother's side. Apparently, Anja Borkov _nee_ Avilov had a sister named Zeny Avilov who married a man named Shurik Balkov. Zeny and Shurik had a son and he's still alive, although many people wish that he wasn't."

Kai froze, hearing that familiar name, "Balkov? Are you telling me that…? No way. You're kidding me." Rin had to be playing a practical joke on him. There was no way that he was related to that man. The man that made Kai live through hell during the Abbey. He couldn't be . . .

Rin's eyes softened, "I'm afraid not, Kai. I'm related to Boris Balkov."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Tyson: *claps hands together* That's a wrap!**

 **Brooklyn: That was fun. Although, why didn't we show up?**

 **Kaori: That was a lot of information in the Max-Aya interaction. My head is about to explode.**

 **Anime: Sorry if you guys had to absorb so much of that. I mean, reading all of the Aya-Max interaction and finding out Kaori and Boris are distant cousins to Rin?**

 **Tyson: You now know that Aya is Dark Draciel's tamer and Riku is Dark Driger's! Dark Draciel represents 'winter' in the 'spring, summer, autumn and winter are forms of time' part of the whole thing while Dark Driger represents 'autumn'. Although, you were probably expecting that.**

 **Aya: At least I'm not-**

 **Ray: No spoiling yet! Now, we know the identity of four out of the twelve members of the Forsaken Fallen (the last two being revealed in AOTFF): Gaea (earth), Ouranos (sky), Dark Draciel (winter) and Dark Driger (autumn). Any guesses on who's the tamer of what?**

 **Max: More identities will be revealed but I think it's obvious who is the bit-beast that chose Rin. There were a lot of hints shown.**

 **Kai: We all know.**

 **All: Totally obvious.**

 **Kaori: As for Ray's dream in the flashback . . . don't take it too lightly. After all, we all know who that boy was, right? *winks***

 **Nami: Hiro remembers what happened ten years ago thanks to yours truly! He might regret finding out but he will help with what's going on.**

 **Hilary: Anime is seriously shipping me with Riku.**

 **Riku: We have no idea how that happened.**

 **Anime: Well, I ship all my OCs with somebody. Nami x Shun is canon and so is Kaori x Hikaru. Aya . . . that's tough. I think I'm going to think about that later. Takao won't get shipped with anyone either. Rin is going to stay forever alone because he only belongs with Kai.**

 **Rin: Shut up. I could get anyone else. I'd rather die than be with Hiwatari.**

 **Aya: What about me?**

 **Rin: Stay with Tate.**

 **Aya: Hey!**

 **Kenny: That's enough. Well, thank you for reading this, you guys. Review to tell us how we're doing. We appreciate the reviews. Name your favorite Beyblade character or OC and Anime will give them more screentime. Aya, Rin and Kai are getting a lot of attention because they're the most loved characters.**

 **Aya: It's because we're adorable!**

 **Rin: I'm not adorable.**

 **Kai: Keep telling yourself that.**

 **Brooklyn: Have a nice day! See you all in chapter 2! We'll be waiting for you the way you wait for us!**

 **All: We hope to see you there!**

 _ **~MIAB~**_

 **Translation time!**

 **Riku's Line: Thank you for everything**

 **Aya's Song:**

 **Perhaps if life had been kind and fair, I would live a gorgeous life.**

 **I'd be dancing in paradise. The soft beat of the drum would be my lullaby.**

 **But who am I kidding? Chaos rules my life and darkness pulls me in. So much for a life in paradise. I've found solace in shadows.**

 _ **~MIAB~**_

 **Next chapter: Numb**


	3. Chapter 2: Numb

**Anime: Heyah, guys! I'm back with chapter 2. It is named after the song Numb by Linkin Park. Good song. You should hear it. I chose it because most of the OC's fit that song. Sorry that the chapter isn't shorter. It has like 8000 words or so. Sorry but the characters like to have the spotlight, especially Max, Aya, Rin and Kai. Attention hogs.**

 **Tyson: Some more info in what happened in the past and all of the identities of the Forsaken Fallen will be revealed.**

 **Ray: You'll also learn more about the past of the Forsaken Fallen as well. The first part focuses on them and then it jumps to the present.**

 **Max: This chapter takes places some hours after the chapter one. This might focus more on the mentality of the OCs – along with Hiro's – and the past.**

 **Kai: Anime was hearing depressing music when making some scenes. You'll see which ones were the ones inspired by the sad, sappy music.**

 **Rin: So many of you were shocked I was related to . . . ugh . . . Boris.**

 **Aya: He is an evil snake, Rin.**

 **Hikaru and Shun: He's a very bad man.**

 **Dark Tyson: Not as bad as me, though.**

 **Nami: No one is as evil as you.**

 **Hiro: You'll see some Hilary-Riku-Max-Aya-Ray-Hikaru-Shun interaction, some Nami-Daichi-Hiro interaction and some Rin-Kai interaction in this chapter.**

 **Riku: Thank you to all those that reviewed, favorited and followed (Miley-san, Ann-san, kinomiyahiwatari-san). You guys have been with us since this story began. You are great.**

 **Hilary: You're starting to speak like a teenager now! I'm proud of you!**

 **Riku: *blush* Thank you.**

 **Anime: I don't own Beyblade, ya guys. I wouldn't be writing fanfiction if I did. This would be happening in the big screen!**

 **All: She's serious . . . ?**

 **Dark Tyson: Enjoy the show.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **2: Numb**

" _What are those creatures?" A young male with long black hair and red eyes questioned as he looked down at a small village. He and nine others were watching the village from their vantage point up in the branches of the trees. All of them looked to be around ten years of age and were dressed in light brown robes._

 _The boy next to him – who had long black hair and white eyes – squinted and then blinked in confusion, "Humans, I think. We are supposed to look like that all of our lives so we can blend in? How dull."_

 _A female with short bright red hair and red eyes – with blood-red wings – whistled, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "They are so minuscule! Do you think we can frighten them, Hikari-Suzaku?" She nudged the boy next to her, who had two-toned hair. The front part of his hair was red like hers but the back was white. His eyes were red like hers and he had majestic red wings too. He shook his head and she pouted in response._

" _Let us not, alright? You should know better, Yami-Suzaku." One of them said. He was a boy with long navy-blue hair and auburn eyes. One of the other boys looked identical to him but had orange eyes and dark blue hair. His look-alike seemed upset that they weren't going to do anything._

" _Pfft. You are no fun, Hikari-Seiryu. You should take a page from Yami-Suzaku and your other half." Another female inputted. She had long purple hair and black eyes. The boy sitting in the branch next to her had purple hair and green eyes. He was just gazing at the humans below them with calculating eyes._

" _Why can't we have fun?" A male questioned. He had long white hair with black stripes and golden eyes. He was the splitting image of the boy next to him. He turned to his friend and grinned, revealing sharp canines "You want to do it too, right, my other self?"_

" _A little but we have to follow orders, Yami-Byakko." His look-alike replied, "We must not disturb the humans. If our superiors find out that we showed our true selves to the humans, they will be angry at us and they will seal us away again." At that, Yami-Byakko paled and looked down, shaking his head._

" _They are not here, remember?" The first boy grinned, "We can do whatever we want! We can terrorize these humans and no one will get angry at us! What do you say?"_

" _We have orders, brother!" Hikari-Seiryu told him, "Do you want to get sealed away by the elders? I do not know about you but I do not wish to go back inside that awful prison."_

 _The first boy sighed, "Fine, you win this time, Hikari-Seiryu. Let us go back to the others. Gaea will probably start pestering the others if we don't get over there soon."_

 _Hikari-Seiryu smiled, "Of course she will."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

After Riku's small bout of insanity, the other boy had relaxed and come out of his room, deciding to follow Hilary to the living room. She turned on the television, wanting to know how the search was going. Riku sat down in the couch, curling up in the far corner.

Hilary pouted, hearing the news reporter speaking about how Ren Sakamoto was making a new movie and filming was already under way, "Tyson and Brooklyn could be dying as we speak and the public is more interested in Ren's new movie? What is the world coming to?"

"That's Nami's father." Riku muttered softly and Hilary turned to him, "Ren Sakamoto. He's Japanese with roots coming from China. Nami's mother Natasha Sakamoto _nee_ Johnson is Canadian with roots coming from Argentina. Never met him officially but Nami speaks fondly of him."

"Wha-?"

"Hilary, we're here!" A voice called from the hallway.

Hilary blinked, standing up from her seat, "That's Max!"

"Oh, Draciel's tamer," Riku muttered as Hilary heard footsteps approaching, "Aya-nee's opposite. Such a calm aura, it reminds me of a long forgotten memory . . ." He stopped talking when Max came in, followed by another blonde. "Aya-nee?"

"Riku!" Aya gasped.

Max and Hilary exchanged glances. These two knew each other? _This day is getting weirder by the minute,_ both thought. "So, you know each other?" Max finally asked and Aya turned to him.

"Well, yes," Aya replied, "Riku was one of the eleven tamers of the Forsaken Fallen that I talked about. In fact, he escaped before us."

Hilary frowned, "Tamer? Forsaken Fallen? It seems you've had an eventful day, Maxie. Mind filling me in, starting with your companion?"

Aya crossed her arms in front of her, "My name's Aya Yuna Orikasa-Morikawa. My zodiac sign is Gemini. I was born June 19 and I am currently fifteen years old. I'm the sole heir to Orikasa Industries and only daughter of Hiroshi Orikasa and Kaiya Morikawa. Pleased to meet you."

Hilary blinked, trying to make sense out of everything the other had said. She had probably said everything in a minute! "Oh, well, my name is-."

"Hilary Tachibana, age fifteen, manager of the G-Revolutions. I know who you are. I have my connections." Aya replied with a smirk, "Now, I know he'll come around soon so . . . stay away from Rin. I don't mind if you're around Kai but not my Rin, okay?"

"Your jealousy isn't pretty, Aya-nee." Riku replied.

Aya pouted, "It's not supposed to be, Riku. I have to be intimidating."

Riku smiled, "Rin-san will be very happy when you marry. He'll probably be the one escorting you because he wants the honor, even though your father would like to do it himself-."

"No," Aya blushed, "He'll be waiting for me in the altar."

"He'll be the groom's best man-."

"Riku, stop ruining my fantasies." Aya interrupted. Hilary and Max exchanged looks again. Max sighed and Aya blinked, "Oh, I look like an oddball, don't I? I'm sorry. You'll understand when you see Rin. He's a lot like Kai, just warning you."

"Anyways . . ." Hilary started, trying to ignore the oddness of the teenage girl. Just when she thought that she could finally have a new female friend, "You still haven't filled me in with what is going on."

Aya gazed at Riku, "Well, Max told me that you guys have already been informed by the bit-beast Dizzi about the Forsaken Fallen. So, you're practically all set in information. There may be some stuff that you don't know but we'll fill you in, don't worry."

"Are we interrupting?"

They all turned to see Ray walking into the dojo, followed by two identical boys. Riku smiled, "Hikaru-kun, Shun-kun, it is very good to see you." Ray, Max and Hilary all shared looks as their guests all smiled at each other, obviously knowing each other. From where, they all wondered.

"Likewise, Riku-kun." Shun replied. He bowed politely at Max and Hilary, throwing both of them off-guard, "Pardon the intrusion. My name is Shun Kuwashima and this is my twin, Hikaru."

"I can see your questions in your eyes," Hikaru spoke up, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "Yeah, we all know each other. We're the tamers of the Forsaken Fallen and we've kept in contact for ten years to see how the others were coping. Besides myself, my brother, Aya and Riku, the other tamers are Nami, Rin, Kaori, Julia, Raul, Tyson and Hiro. Anymore questions?"

Hilary gave out a small huff. She preferred the other twin – Shun – over this loud one. He reminded her too much of how Tyson was when he was a bit younger. He was still like that, sure, but he had matured a lot as time went by. He wasn't as loud and rude as before. She could hardly stand the champion when he had been like that and she found herself slightly irritated by this loud twin.

" _Hikaru, try not to get them to angry, okay?"_

" _Yes, Fuyu-san. I'll try."_

Hilary was startled by the random voices in her head. She was starting to wonder about her sanity. Hearing voices, having those odd dreams that she still couldn't explain and having the strangest of daydreams wasn't something normal.

"No, not at all. Except I want to know which members of the Forsaken Fallen are your bit-beasts." Max replied. Aya's eyes glowed for a minute and the twins exchanged glances. Max thought for a moment that they were having a telepathic conversation before he realized that they weren't super humans, just tamers with a strong connection to their bit-beasts.

"They are not our bit-beasts by choice." The twins said in unison, creeping out Max and Hilary. Ray, Aya and Riku stared with unimpressed faces.

"Tch," Hikaru looked at the ceiling, looking serious, "I am the tamer of the void. My brother is the tamer of the sky." Upon hearing the silence of the room, Hikaru pouted, "I'm trying to sound cool and cryptic and you guys don't get it? Geez, anyone of ya read Greek mythology?"

Riku, Aya and Shun raised their hands and Hikaru narrowed his eyes, "Not you guys. Man, what kind of stuff do ya read in public school?"

"Void . . . sky . . . Greek mythology . . ." Hilary placed a hand under her chin, "I remember reading about something about that. I. . . oh my goodness! Tartarus and Ouranos!"

"I see someone is educated around here." Hikaru replied. Shun shot him a be-nice-or-face-my-wrath look that made Hikaru go rigid. There were a lot of things Hikaru was scared of: darkness, deep water, needles, small places, fire, heights and anything that trigged a memory of the Forsaken Fallen. His timid brother's wrath was among the top three things Hikaru feared.

 _Demons run when a good man goes to war._

Riku smiled softly at Hilary, "Chaos and night were the first to arrive and then the rest followed. Earth, sky and the void came first. Vengeance, magic and death changed the world. Spring, summer, autumn and winter are forms of time. All will eventually return to chaos and night."

Hilary turned to Riku, looking at the other boy with an impressed face, giving him a smile, "Those lines Dizzi and you say . . . they reveal the identities of the Forsaken Fallen, don't they?"

Riku looked down and nodded. Aya smirked upon seeing the pink blush on his cheeks, along with a gentle, soft smile that she had never seen on her friend before. _Riku, you sly dog._ She thought, trying to hide her smirk from the questioning glance of Shun.

"Well then," Hilary sat down in the couch next to Riku. The others stared at her, the twins looking impressed at her intelligence, Aya smiling as she thought about Hilary and Riku's wedding, Max and Ray looking at her with anticipation and Riku staring at her from behind his bangs, still blushing.

"'Sky' refers to Ouranos, the primordial who was the sky. 'Void' is Tartarus, the primordial of the abyss. Considering that most of them are connected to mythology, that means 'earth' is Gaea, mother earth. That leaves vengeance, magic, death, spring, summer, autumn, winter, chaos and night. Vengeance . . . Nemesis, goddess of revenge. Magic is Hecate. Death . . . that might mean Hades or Thanatos but I'm leaning towards Hades."

"Clever girl," Hikaru grinned, "Not many normal people get it. I'm impressed you managed to figure it out. I think you'll get along fine with Rin. The old grouch will appreciate the intelligent conversation."

Aya pouted, "Rin and I have intelligent conversations, you know."

"We didn't mention anything about you and Rin-san, Aya-chan," Shun said slyly. He smirked at her and Aya inwardly groaned at his all-knowing smirk. She was making a fool of herself. But she couldn't help it. Rin wanted to a girl that could hold a conversation filled with wit and Aya didn't think she could manage to do that. Why am I getting jealous of Hilary anyway? She might get with Riku. Aya thought, blinking rapidly at that thought.

"Anyways, we're straying from the subject again." Max inputted, "Hilary, do you have anything else to tell us?" He didn't know who Rin was but, from the long conversation he had had with Aya when getting here, he knew that she had a major crush on him. He knew better than mentioning the young tycoon. Aya can rant for hours about him.

Hilary frowned, crossing her arms in front of her and leaning back on the couch, "Summer, autumn, winter and spring. Deities that rule over those seasons. . . There's the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades but I don't think that's it. Four separate beings that each rule over a season. I wonder. . . the Guardians of the Night Sky?"

"The what?" Max questioned while Aya, Hikaru, Shun and Riku stiffened. Aya was biting her lower lip harshly and Riku was practically trembling. Ray's eyes widened slightly with recognition.

"According to ancient Chinese astronomy, the sky was divided into four quadrants, each quadrant representing a season of the year." Hilary started and hesitated when she saw that Riku was shaking like a leaf. She had a bad feeling about this.

"The quadrants are associated with colored animal deities that serve as guardians. They are Suzaku the Red Bird, Seiryu the Blue Dragon, Genbu the Black Tortoise or Warrior, and Byakko the White Tiger." Ray finished. His eyes narrowed slightly, "When I read about it, the deities reminded me a lot of Dranzer, Dragoon, Draciel and Driger."

"Of course it would." Shun mumbled, his bangs hiding one of his eyes, "Those four deities you mentioned . . . there were two of each. Four of them represented light, the other four represented darkness."

"There were eight Guardians? So, four of them were good and the others . . . dark?" Max questioned. He looked at Aya and saw the girl was looking everywhere but at him. He had a good idea about what was going on in her head.

"Correct," Hikaru replied, "Suzaku, Seiryu, Genbu and Byakko all used to be normal deities that protected the universe. Inside of each, however, was a war between their light and dark sides. To solve this problem, they split themselves. They created the eight bit-beasts we know today as Dragoon, Dark Dragoon, Dranzer, Dark Dranzer, Driger, Dark Driger, Draciel and Dark Draciel."

"So four of the members of the Forsaken Fallen are the dark counterparts to the sacred spirits?" Hilary questioned. She didn't like the sound of the dark counterparts at all. Judging by their looks, Max and Ray didn't seem to like them either.

"Mmhmm," Aya looked up, her eyes looking tired. She looked older than her age with that look and no one seemed to like that. Aya was better when she was smiling. "I am the tamer of Genbu's dark half: Dark Draciel."

Hilary and Ray gasped. Max, Shun, Hikaru and Riku – who already knew this – were silent. Riku looked up, his bangs no longer covering his eyes, "I am the tamer of Byakko's dark half: Dark Driger."

"What-?" Hilary questioned and Max looked at him, surprised.

"Now that we got that out of the way," Hikaru started, "you now know the identities of all of the members of the Forsaken Fallen."

"All of them?" Max frowned, "We know the identities of Gaea, Ouranos, Tartarus, Nemesis, Hecate, Hades, Dark Draciel, Dark Dranzer, Dark Driger and Dark Dragoon. What about the last two?"

Riku whimpered, placing his hands over his ears, closing his eyes, _"Non nomina tantum eorum offeretis et loquere ad locum istum. Non nomina tantum eorum offeretis et loquere ad locum istum. Non nomina-."_

"Calm down, Riku." Aya walked towards the young male and crouched down in front of him, grabbing his hands, "You're having an episode again. You just have to relax. Riku, they're not here and we're not there. You must relax."

Shun walked towards them and crouched down behind Aya, placing a hand on her shoulder, eyes softening, "Riku-kun, it's going to be okay. You don't have to be scared. We're not there anymore. We're all okay."

"Are we?" Riku mumbled, looking up at them. Hilary felt a pang in her heart at how desolate his voice sounded. Now that she thought about it, all four of their guests were similar in that way. They all seemed to have been broken and acted older than their actual ages. They all seemed so tired. What could have done this to them?

Ray looked at the ground, "Hikaru, what are the names of the last two members of the Forsaken Fallen?" Ray saw how Hikaru stiffened at the question before his shoulders slumped.

"Their names are said in the lines," Hikaru whispered, walking towards his brother and Aya, crouching when he was close enough. He placed a hand on Aya's other shoulder and looked up at them, his eyes shiny with tears that threatened to appear but was holding back, "The final, and strongest, members are literally Chaos and Night."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _I'm evil, aren't I?" A little boy whispered to him. Hiro looked down at the child he was comforting and was met by brilliant blue eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness. He was six years old, a year older than Tyson. The little boy had raven-black hair that was reaching up to his shoulders. His bangs covered most of his face, trying to hide his bloody face that was filled with grime. He was wearing tattered pajamas that were dirty with blood, dirt and who knows what else. His small hands were covered in blood and Hiro had a sinking feeling that it wasn't the boy's._

" _No, you're not. You had no idea that he'd do that to you." Hiro responded, rocking the child back and forth, trying to comfort him. The poor little boy was trembling and he was hiccupping softly. "You're not a bad person."_

" _He made me do it," The boy was whimpering now, "He made me do it and made me see as he controlled my body . . . He was in control but I did it. I . . ." He sobbed softly, something that impressed Hiro. Most kids would bawl their eyes out in this situation but this little boy was trying not to cry. "I'm a monster!"_

" _You're not a monster," Hiro assured the child, "What's your name?"_

" _R-R-Rin," The boy managed to choke out, "And they were Ann, Aziza, Heru and Philip. Ann was six, Aziza was eight, Heru was ten and Philip was nine. And I . . . I-." Rin stopped talking and started sobbing, "Ann had two brothers, a mom and a dad to go back to. She was turning seven soon. And I . . ." Rin held onto Hiro tightly, "He made me kill them!"_

 _Hiro saw Rin's gaze turn towards the room but he covered the little boy's eyes, not wanting to ruin the child's innocence forever. He was just a little boy; he didn't deserve to see this. Hell, Hiro had nearly thrown up when he was brought in here and found three corpses in the room, some of them missing limbs and blood coating the walls. He had been told there had been only one survivor – Ann, the soon to be seven year old – of the Possession Test and Fuyu was trying to save her at the moment._

 _He had expected the bloodshed but hadn't been expecting the small little boy that lay in the middle of the room, screaming as he sat in a puddle of blood. The child was traumatized for life._

" _Rin, calm down," Hiro spoke to the little boy, "Ann's alive. She's okay." That didn't calm down the sobbing child. He buried his face on Hiro's shoulder, trembling as he cried softly._

" _They were my friends," The little boy cried, Hiro patting his back, "They were my friends! And then he told me that I'd . . . Kai! He told me I was gonna kill Kai! I want to be with Susumu-san, Kana-san, Voltaire-sama and Kai! I want to go home!"_

" _You'll go back home," Hiro assured the child, trying to ignore the mutilated corpses that were still in the room and focusing on the child in his arms, "I promise."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Hiro?" Daichi's voice brought the older Granger back to reality. He turned to the young red-head and noticed the boy was standing on the doorway to the room he was in. Hiro noticed that he was on his knees and sighed. Daichi probably thought he was having another breakdown.

"I'm fine. Where are Katsu, Nami and Grandpa?" Hiro asked as he stood up. After regaining his memories, Nami had decided to take him back to where they had been held ten years ago. As soon as he had entered the building, Hiro felt all those memories resurfacing faster, remembering all the tortures that had happened here.

The room he was in was where he had first met Rin, which must have been the reason that he had a flashback. Remembering that day was awful and Hiro felt something in the back of his throat that wanted to come out. He didn't like being in this place but it might have leads in finding out where Tyson, Brooklyn and Kaori are now.

"Nami went below to see the labs." Daichi shivered, eying the room, "This place is creepy. I can't believe that a bunch of kids were here ten years ago, tortured by the Forsaken Fallen."

"It happened," Hiro said as he left the room where he had comforted that small child that had murdered three kids and injured another against his will. He was surprised that Rin hadn't forgotten anything. When kids go through such a traumatic experience, they find a way to forgot. Then why didn't Rin forget? Why didn't all the survivors forget?

"Hiro," Nami came out of a room, looking pale. Her eyes were haggard, red-rimmed and looked older than usual. It seemed as if she was carrying the weight of the whole world on her shoulders. Hiro felt sorry for Nami – she had been the youngest of all the kids, too young. She was only four – but refrained from saying it out loud.

"What is it?"

Nami smiled weakly and nudged her head inside, "Take a look."

Hiro slowly walked towards her and looked inside the room once he got there. He had expected many things but seeing a small shrine filled with dying flowers wasn't one of them. He frowned and entered, "Who . . .?"

"Who else?" Nami asked, leaning on the wall. It looked as if the wall was keeping her steady and, if it wasn't there, she would've fallen. Her eyes softened and she sighed, "Rin and Aya."

"Rin and Aya? They did this?" Hiro asked as he looked at the little shrine. There were several letters on the ground and old candles that seemed to have been used. Several flowers littered the shrine, all of them ranging from shape to size to color. Incense sticks were in a small pot and there were several toys in the shrine. Written in a huge wooden board were the names of all the children that had fallen victim to the Forsaken Fallen.

Nami nodded, sniffing and avoided looking at the shrine, "They were the only two out of all of us that bothered to come back here and find out the names of all of the kids that had been kidnapped and killed. They always come here. I never came with them because I was too scared to greet the ghosts of the past. I'm such a coward, huh? But I couldn't help it. I'm only human. That's why I'll never be as strong, proud, confident and brave as Rin and Aya."

Hiro began to read all of the names, feeling his eyes begin to fill with tears as he began to remember some of them. The two had found out the names of nearly four hundred kids, even writing their last names. "Nami, I can't believe Rin and Aya were so brave."

He could imagine how hard it must have been for those two when they decided to honor the fallen children. Rin had killed three of the kids listed here, for crying out loud. They had known these kids and had seen how most of them died. Coming back to this place that held such awful memories and make a shrine for the ones that had died was an honorable gesture. Not only that but they visited this place, if the letters and flowers were any indication. Speaking of which . . .

"One of the two must have been here recently," Hiro said as he crouched down in front of the altar, gazing at a bouquet of white asters that looked fresh.

"It must have been Aya," Nami replied, closing her eyes tightly to prevent the tears from falling, "She loves placing asters in their graves."

"These children were like soldiers," Hiro mused, "They fought their personal hells and endured so much punishment. Who knows? The asters must be protecting the kids from the evil of the Forsaken Fallen. Aya . . . you're an amazing girl."

Nami looked outside, "Kurumada-san said that this place has been abandoned for a long time. Maybe this is another dead end." She sounded almost anxious to get out of here, Hiro noted. He didn't blame her. This place held nothing but bad memories. Hiro felt better when he hadn't had them.

"Please don't say that," Daichi called out, entering the room. He noticed the shrine and his eyes softened, stopping next to Nami, "So, these are the kids that died here, huh? That's a lot of 'em."

"Yeah," Nami nodded, giving a weak smile, "They were all like my big brothers and sisters. Hiro-nii was the best, though. He would like to let me sleep in his lap and tell me bedtime stories. Ty was cool too, whenever I saw him. And Fuyu-san was the best. She was always there for us."

"Fuyu?" Daichi frowned, "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

Nami shrugged, "Who knows? Perhaps you met a person named like that. It's not a common name but I'm sure there wasn't just one Fuyu."

"Maybe," Daichi mumbled. Why did that name sound so familiar? Where had he heard that name before? The name made him see the silhouette of a woman standing in front of a large tree, looking up at something. What is it? What was she seeing? "Say, Nami?" He questioned the girl next to him, "Did this Fuyu-san have a bit-beast?"

"Hm?" Nami thought about the question and bit her lip, "No, I don't think so. She was just a woman who had been kidnapped from her own family when she was a child. She told me that she had no family but I'm pretty sure she did."

"What happened to her?"

"She died." Hiro was the one that responded, "The last time we saw her, she had gotten shot in the leg and a man had placed a gun in her head, ready to pull the trigger. We heard a gunshot moments later."

"I see." Daichi muttered. He could still see the silhouette of that woman but he didn't speak more on the subject. Silence followed afterwards, all three of them gazing at the names of those children that died. Daichi frowned, noticing something, "How come 'Rin Mizushima' is listed as one of the dead children?"

Nami's eyes widened before they softened, eyes shiny with unshed tears, "He wrote that when he was thirteen, when he tried to join them."

"What do you mean by 'join them'?" Hiro questioned her, turning around to face her, "Are you saying that Rin tried to . . . ?" He didn't need to finish his question. The expression in Nami's face said it all. Hiro took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He knew the poor boy would be scarred for life after the mental, emotional and physical abuse but he didn't know that he'd try to take his own life.

"It wasn't a good year," Nami replied, a shiny tear trailing down her cheek, "Aya was hospitalized after a terrible car crash and there was a high chance she wouldn't make it. Back then, the twins, Riku and I hadn't contacted them so Rin only had Aya that understood his pain. With the possibility of her death, Rin was left to fight of the monsters in his mind on his own. He couldn't handle it. If Kai hadn't made it in time, Rin would've died."

Daichi cleared his throat awkwardly. He didn't know what to think of this 'Rin' anymore. Nami said he was like Kai – grouch, sourpuss, anti-social, cold-hearted – and Hiro said he was a good kid. In his opinion, Rin was a boy who was broken by his experience in this hellhole and hid the 'good kid' behind a clever mask. Then there was Aya. She was a brave and confident young woman who, despite all her scars, wanted to see the beauty in the world that had caused those ugly scars. In his opinion, Aya was stronger than Nami gave her credit for.

"Hey," Katsu entered the room, holding several documents in his hands. They didn't turn to face him but the detective didn't seem to mind that they weren't. He continued to speak, "I think we should be going now. Granger-sama is already waiting in the car." Noticing their far away looks, the older male sighed, eyes tired, "It does no good to dwell on the past, especially one filled with ghosts. Pondering on what could have been distracts us from the present. Live in the present because who knows if tomorrow will come."

Nami smiled weakly, turning to him, "You're an odd person, Kurumada-san. I think I know someone that might enjoy your company. Who knows? You might enjoy his as well."

Katsu smiled, "Perhaps. But we won't know if we stay here, huh? Besides, Granger-sama and I discovered some documents that I think you might want to see."

"What documents?" Hiro asked, getting up.

"I'll show you in the car. Let's go."

Daichi bowed politely at the shrine, Hiro, Katsu and Nami doing the same. Hiro felt a lump on his throat when he started leaving the room. He had known all those children. He felt like he was abandoning them, leaving them to rot in this godforsaken place. He didn't like this awful feeling. He stayed behind as Nami, Daichi and Katsu left the room and smiled at the shrine.

"I'll be back to visit soon."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"You're an oddity, Mizushima." Kai told the pale half-Russian. Currently, the raven-haired boy was sitting in a battered dark green couch, drinking a cup of Earl Grey tea. Despite the surroundings, Rin drank his tea as if he was in one of those parties the elite threw.

The small apartment that the two resided in wasn't impressive. The walls were painted grey and the floor was covered by a dark red carpet that Kai swore smelled like cats. There was a small kitchen nearby that had a fridge, microwave, sink and an oven while the cupboards were open, revealing nothing. Further into the hallway was a bathroom door and a bedroom door, which the two hadn't seen.

"Do elaborate," The other replied coldly. His eyes were closed but Kai could see that Rin was tense and pissed off. He wondered if he should press the other when he was in this mood. Then he realized that he had pressed several of Rin's buttons and was still alive so he decided to continue speaking his mind.

"Right now, you're sipping tea and almost looking like the picture of calmness when, just a couple of minutes ago, you were cursing Boris in Russian, saying you wanted him dead."

Rin opened his eyes, revealing dangerous blue orbs that Kai remembered Natasha had. Unlike the happy and carefree eyes of his mother, Rin's eyes looked just like the late Haru Mizushima's whenever he was angry or in a business meeting. It seemed Rin had inherited a lot of Haru's traits.

"Oh," He said, in a dangerously calm voice that frightened Kai more than his tone earlier when he was cursing Boris, "don't get sidetracked by my calm expression, Hiwatari. This is the calm before the storm."

Kai didn't doubt that. Not after Rin's earlier display.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _This is the place where Boris has been hiding in?" Kai questioned as he and Rin walked the corridors of the old apartment complex. They passed several other apartments where they could hear other people speaking. This place was a terrible place to live, Kai had noted, trying to imagine people living here and failing. It seemed like the perfect place for scum like Boris to live in, though._

 _Rin nodded, his shoulders tense, "I managed to track him down here. Apparently he's been living here after the BEGA incident." He scoffed, eyes narrowed, "There must have been a mistake in the family tree. . ."_

" _Didn't your grandmother Anja have lilac-colored hair-?"_

 _Rin turned around quickly and glared daggers at Kai. Kai narrowed his eyes, "Why are you angry, anyways? If I recall, Boris was the one that practically tortured me in the Abbey. If one of us should be angry, it should be me."_

" _I would've rather been in the Abbey than in that living hell." Rin spat out._

" _You have no idea what they made us do in the Abbey-."_

" _No, Kai," Rin hissed out, approaching him, "you have no idea what_ they _made_ us _do in those wretched six months. What they made_ me _do and what they will try to make me do. Don't try to think you had it worse than me, Kai. At least you had the luxury of forgetting most of your memories in that Abbey. I didn't forget. I lived with those memories and I'm still living with them."_

 _Both of them were silent, glaring daggers at each other. Kai refused to be the one to look away first. The sounds of the other occupants of the apartment were the only sounds that either male heard. After a while, Rin gave out a small 'hmph' and turned away, walking towards the apartment 9B. Kai eventually followed, neither of them speaking a word._

 _When they arrived, Rin knocked on the door. Both males stared at the door. It was dark brown, had a peephole, and a golden 9B on it. Behind this simple-looking door was the man that had hurt Kai in the past and ruined the lives of so many children from the Abbey, including the Blitzkrieg Boys. The man that was Natasha's cousin, making him Rin's relative._

 _The door opened and Kai felt himself stiffen. Boris Balkov. Boris hadn't changed since he had last seen the man almost months ago. Boris seemed surprised at seeing them both while Rin had a poker face, his blank face revealing nothing. Although, Kai noticed that he had his fists clenched tightly. None of them moved. None of them spoke._

 _After a while, Boris opened his mouth to speak, "Ah, Kai. It is very good to see you-."_

 _The man was cut short by the punch Rin launched at him, right in the nose. Boris recoiled, falling to the ground, and Rin growled,_ _ **"Vy sukin syn! Krovavyy ublyudok! Ty ponimayesh', chto ty sdelal?! Proklyatiye na vas, Boris Balkov! Bud' ty proklyat za svoi deystviya! Sozhaleniye den' vy rodilis'!"**_

" _Rin? What are you doing?" Kai asked, surprised at Rin's actions, "As much as I like that you just punched Boris in the nose, why are you doing this?" He had never seen Rin lose control like this. Sure, he had gotten the other so irritated that Kai left his company with a black eye and a broken arm but this was different. It seemed Rin was full of rage._

" _Why am I doing this?" Rin asked, turning to him, eyes dangerously narrowed, "You know my reasoning behind this, Kai. He's the one that reawakened the Forsaken Fallen because of his precious BEGA tournament. He's brought forth the darkness."_

 _Kai flinched when he noticed Rin's blue eyes were now a fiery crimson-red. Unlike his own red eyes, Rin's were the same color as Dranzer's feathers. A fire seemed to dance in those eyes and Kai placed a hand where Dranzer rested. His blade was shaking and the bit-chip was glowing._

" _Rin, calm down or he'll gain control."_

 _Rin blinked and his eyes turned back to normal. He took a deep breath and released it and quickly gazed at his hands. He seemed relieved at not seeing anything out of the ordinary. He looked at Kai with something that resembled regret. Before Kai realized what it really was, Rin turned to Boris._

" _You," He spat out, "we need to talk."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Boris returned to the room, holding an icepack to his nose. Kai had to resist the urge to grin at that. Rin glanced at Boris with disdain before looking at the room, his eyes calculating its worth. Kai had a hard time resisting the urge to smirk when he noticed Boris seemed nervous in Rin's presence, "What a charming place you have here. It matches your personality."

Kai snorted but was ignored by the other two. Boris cleared his throat, bowing his head slightly before taking a seat in a couch. Kai rolled his eyes. Boris used to do the same thing with his grandfather when Biovolt was around. It seems one of the man's skills was sucking up to his superiors. Kai mentally smirked. A shame that flattery meant nothing to Rin. He was going to enjoy this talk. "Mizushima-sama," Boris began, "it is an honor for you to meet with me."

"Such trifling words coming from the mouth of scum." Rin replied coldly. Kai knew that tone well. He had used it ten years ago when he had ended their friendship. Now, the tone was harsher and sharper than ever before, matching Rin's jaded personality, "I hold you accountable for everything that has happened that led to the awakening of the Forsaken Fallen, Balkov.

"However, I didn't come to discuss that or what you did to the children in the Abbey. I believe that will be a conversation we will have at a later time." Rin responded, glancing at Kai for a short moment, "A conversation, Balkov, that will take place in court where a judge, myself, Kai, Tala Ivanov, Bryan Kuznetsov, Spencer Petrov and Ian Papov will be present."

Boris paled and Kai turned to Rin in surprise. Since the destruction of Biovolt, no one had brought up the dark things that occurred there. Human experimentation, bit-beast experimentation and other things that were probably illegal. Why was Rin bringing this up now?

"Then why are you here for?" Boris questioned.

Rin placed his cup of tea on the table in front of him, his eyes glassy, as if he was remembering something. He closed his eyes as if remembering something before he opened them slowly, "You are the son of Zeny Avilov, the sister of my grandmother Anja. You were my mother's cousin, making you my relative."

Boris seemed surprised at that while Kai crossed his arms in front of him. He had not taken the news that his tormentor was related to Rin well and he had tried to ignore that fact. Hearing it out loud again made him uncomfortable.

Rin continued, "You might not know this but, since we're relatives, we have a similar connection to a certain bit-beast of darkness. A treacherous bit-beast by the name of Dark Dranzer."

"Dark Dranzer?" Boris questioned, "That sounds a lot like-."

"Like the bit-beast you found, Black Dranzer." Rin leaned forward, his eyes gazing Boris with intensity that made the older man nervous. "Which brings me to the purpose of my visit. How did you find Black Dranzer?"

Kai felt Dranzer shake in his pocket and he placed a hand on it. Black Dranzer, Dark Dranzer, what was next? Ice Dranzer? Sure, he understood that Dark Dranzer and Dranzer had once been one being named Suzaku so Dark Dranzer wasn't a copy of his bit-beast. Black Dranzer was a different story. During their research, Rin had told him that Black Dranzer was created during the 19th century the monk Rasputin. The monk couldn't control the power of the bit-beast, to his misfortune.

"How did I find him?" Boris questioned, "Well, I was doing research on bit-beasts on behalf of Biovolt and read about the Black Dranzer. I spent several weeks on trying to find him until I heard a voice-."

"A voice?" Rin grew tense. Kai didn't blame him, not after everything he had learned of the Forsaken Fallen. He was surprised Rin was still sane.

"Yes. A voice that told me where to find its companion." Boris stared into space, "He told me to not fear the untamable power of Black Dranzer because someone in this world was his tamer. He told me to let chaos reign and let the world be consumed by eternal darkness."

"Chaos is shrewd. Infiltrating the mind of someone that was already looking for Black Dranzer so they could release him into this world." Rin turned to Kai, "Oddly enough, you are compatible to both Black Dranzer and Dranzer. Bit-beasts don't tend to choose a tamer that already has a bit-beast. Tyson and yourself seem to be the only exception."

"How is this relevant to our situation?" Kai questioned the tycoon. He was getting irritated that Rin was going in circles and not getting to the point. What was Rin scheming behind those sharp eyes? "What are you trying to do?"

Rin closed his eyes, "Well, I got my question on how Boris found Black Dranzer. That was the only question I had. Now," He outstretched his hand and opened his eyes, "I know you have him. Hand him over."

"Have who?" Boris asked.

"No." Kai interjected, "Rin, no."

Rin glanced at Kai from the corner of his eyes, his hand still outstretched, "Be quiet, Hiwatari. I must do this. No, we must do this. It is our duty as the tamers of the beings that make Suzaku to do this."

"What do you want?"

Rin's eyes flickered crimson-red again as he smirked, "Don't play dumb, Boris Balkov. It doesn't suit someone who is related to a Mizushima. Hand over Black Dranzer before Chaos and the Forsaken get their hands on him. If not, we're doomed."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _I have no idea why they would wish us to be confined in these fragile and weak mortal bodies," Chaos complained to Night and Hikari-Seiryu. He was pouting, his legs dangling from the branch. The three were on top of the same tree they had been on several moons ago when they had been spying on the human village._

" _I believe humans are fascinating creatures." Hikari-Seiryu replied._

" _Pfft." Night stretched, arching his back like a cat, "Your true form is majestic, Hikari-Seiryu. If you and Yami-Seiryu became one again, you would be the third most marvelous creature in this realm."_

" _Who are second and first?"_

 _Chaos grinned, "I'm first. Night is second."_

 _Night rolled his eyes, "You are a handful, Chaos. You are incredibly lucky that I like you. If you weren't likable, you would fall victim to my Eternal Nyx attack." He laid down on the branch, both hands behind his head._

" _Chaos, Night . . ." Hikari-Seiryu fidgeted, sticking out his tongue before continuing, "I decided to create a name for myself so I won't be called Hikari-Seiryu anymore." He looked down, nervous. These two were his older brothers. Well, they weren't actually his brothers but he considered them his brothers._

" _You do?" Chaos asked, hanging upside down from his branch._

 _He nodded, smiling a little, "I want to be named Dragoon." He had spent days thinking about a new name for himself. Being called Hikari-Seiryu just reminded him that he was just a half. That he wasn't complete. He was a separate being now. It would make sense that he had a new name._

" _What kind of name is Dragoon?" Night asked, frowning, looking like he hated the name. "Dragoon" looked distraught upon hearing that and Chaos narrowed his eyes, noticing that._

" _Be quiet, Night. At least he's being original with his name, unlike you." He retorted and smiled at Dragoon, revealing sharp fangs. Dragoon smiled back at him, glad that Chaos approved of his name._

" _Says the one who is named 'Chaos'." Night replied with a huff. Chaos frowned and created a black orb made of a black mist. He launched it at Night, who yelled and fell of the tree, hitting several branches before landing on the ground._

 _Chaos laughed at his own actions and Dragoon looked down at Night, who was rubbing the back of his head, with worried eyes, "Night! Are you alright?"_

" _I am fine, Dragoon, do not worry. That was a dirty trick, Chaos!" Night yelled as he got to his feet._

 _Chaos raised an eyebrow as he got off his branch, floating to the branch where Dragoon was sitting in. "Well, at least you called our brother Dragoon." Chaos answered and Night looked surprised, not having caught that._

 _Dragoon chuckled and Night pouted, "Alright, I see you point. I will not make fun of his name anymore. Happy?" At Chaos's nod, Night floated to the branch he had been sitting in before getting knocked down._

" _This tree is so nice and smooth . . ." Chaos sighed dramatically, "I think I would like it if it had thorns or something of the sort on it."_

" _Sounds awful and painful." Night interjected, "It sounds almost as bad as having a crown of thorns or a throne of thorns. You need to think about if it is comfortable or not."_

" _It would look amazing, though." Dragoon mumbled._

" _Do not encourage him." Night scolded the light half, who grinned at him. Night gave out a huff, "You two are utterly ridiculous. If you're going to have a throne of thorns, why not make your enemies sit on it?"_

" _I had no idea you were so sadistic, Night." Chaos grinned._

" _Be quiet, Chaos. It is merely an observation, not a suggestion." Night said with an eye roll. Dragoon chuckled at the odd antics of Night and Chaos. They might be the oldest out of all of the spirits but they were immature._

 _Chaos was about to say something but then stopped, looking down at something. Night and Dragoon both frowned at that before looking down as well. Dragoon stiffened, "A human."_

 _The human they had spotted was a boy around ten years old with red hair and golden eyes. He was dressed in a simple brown kimono and was barefooted. He was looking at them with obvious curiosity. Dragoon frowned and jumped down, much to Night and Chaos's surprise. The human didn't flinch, staring at him with those large, curious eyes._

" _Hello," Dragoon greeted._

 _The boy glanced up at Night and Chaos who were keeping their distance from him. He looked back down at Dragoon, "Father said not to come here or the holy spirits would be angry. Why are you here, then?"_

" _We are the holy spirits. Turn back now and we will not curse you!" Chaos yelled from his spot and was hit by Night on the back of his head, giving him a disapproving look._

" _Don't mind him," Dragoon smiled, upon seeing the nervous look on the little boy's face. Sure, he did look physically around the boy's age but he was an ancient creature. This look was created to help him blend in so he and the others could protect the humans without the humans fearing them, "What is your name, brave one?"_

" _Daisuke. What is yours?"_

" _It is Dragoon, the blue dragon of the wind."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Unknown area_

Takao was sprawled on the ground, eyes closed. On one of his hands rested a necklace with a bit-chip on it. The room was cold and desolate and you couldn't hear anything. Takao wasn't moving, giving the impression that he was dead.

Suddenly, his eyes opened, revealing crimson-red eyes. He groaned and sat up, frowning, "It took longer to possess my puppet this time. Why is that?" He smirked, "No matter, I have business to attend to."

He stood up, smirking malevolently, "It's time for me to properly greet my guests and reunite with my tamer."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: That's a wrap!**

 **Aya: I have new respect for you, Rin.**

 **Rin: Hn.**

 **Kai: *smirk* Boris deserved it.**

 **Anime: I talk a lot about the OC's mentality because it's very important to remember that Aya isn't always happy. Hikaru isn't always happy-go-lucky. Shun isn't always shy. Nami isn't always sweet. Riku isn't always insane. Rin isn't always cold. They're just kids trying to be adults.**

 **Kaori: Cute. But where are we?**

 **Tyson: Let's hope she didn't forget about us.**

 **Brooklyn: Are we coming out next chapter?**

 **Dark Tyson: Finally, it's revealed. All the members of the Forsaken Fallen have been identified. I am literally Chaos.**

 **All: Eeep.**

 **Ray: Lots of hints about Fuyu, flashbacks and background.**

 **Aya: Rin . . . *teary-eyed* You care about me that much? You'd kill yourself to not be alone.**

 **Kai: And why did looked at me with something that resembled regret? Who knew your frozen heart could still feel sorrow.**

 **Rin: *blushing* Nami, that was a secret. And shut up, Hiwatari. I don't have a soft spot.**

 **Nami: Couldn't resist saying it.**

 **Anime: Who caught the Supernatural reference? Anybody? Please tell me someone got it. As for your observation, Kai . . . Rin almost got possessed by Dark Dranzer. Since childhood, he's been told that he must kill Dranzer's tamer: Kai. Despite everything that has happened between the two, Rin doesn't want to kill Kai and he felt regret that he almost got possessed because there was no doubt that, if he had been possessed, he would've killed Kai, one of the only people he cares about.**

 **Rin: You're cruel.**

 **Anime: I learn from the best.**

 **Max: Ice Dranzer is a reference to Kai's first bit-beast in the manga.**

 **Tala: Reviews are appreciated. Tell us how this is turning out.**

 **Anime: I'm already working on chapter 3 so you might not have to wait long.**

 **Hilary: Riku is the tamer of Dark Driger, Aya is the tamer of Dark Draciel, Rin is the tamer of Dark Dranzer, Shun is the tamer of Ouranos, Hikaru is the tamer of Tartarus and Nami is the tamer of Gaea. Who are the tamers of Nemesis, Hecate, Hades, Dark Dragoon and Night, though?**

 **Kai: All will be revealed in the upcoming chapters.**

 **All: See you in the next chapter.**

 _ **~~MIAB~~**_

 **Translation:**

 **Riku's Rant (Latin): Speak not their names or you shall bring them to this place.**

 **Rin's Rage Rant (Russian): You son of a bitch! Bloody bastard! Do you realize what you did?! A curse upon you, Boris Balkov! Curse you for your actions! Regret the day you were born!**

 _ **~~MIAB~~**_

Characters in the beginning are:

Hikari-Seiryu: Dragoon

Hikari-Suzaku: Dranzer

Hikari-Byakko: Driger

Hikari-Genbu: Draciel

Yami-Seiryu: Dark Dragoon

Yami-Suzaku: Dark Dranzer

Yami-Byakko: Dark Driger

Yami-Genbu: Dark Draciel

"First boy": Chaos/Dark Tyson

"Second boy": Night

 **The part in the italics will be explaining what happened in the past with the bit-beasts. So far, it shows that the sacred spirits were friends with members of the Forsaken Fallen. What do you suppose happened, huh?**

["You don't have to be such a giant jerk about it." Lizbeth huffed, "You're no fun. This is why you were the one sealed for centuries, not Dragoon. He was far better company than you."

Dark Tyson narrowed his eyes, "Do not speak about that traitor in my presence." **] – Chapter 3: Comfort in Darkness, Awakening of the Forsaken Fallen**

 _ **~~MIAB~~**_

Asters are the birth flowers of the month of September, named due to their star-like shape. In some legends, they are said to have been created from stardust when the goddess Astraea looked down from the heavens and wept. They are also said to have been the herbs of Venus. **In France, they are placed in the graves of their soldiers to symbolize afterthought and the wish that things had turned out differently.** Vigil the poet thought the altars of gods were adorned with them. In China, they signify fidelity. **They are thought to bring luck and protect against evil and are known as talismans of love and are symbols of patience, love, daintiness and good luck.** They're categorized as a wildflower but with beautiful charm that other wildflowers hardly possess.

 _ **~~MIAB~~**_

 **Next chapter: Scream**

 **Song: Scream by Avenged Sevenfold**


	4. Chapter 3: Scream

**Anime: Hellooooooo everybody! I'm here with chapter three of MIAB and *gasp* a short chapter! I've finally decided to try to make short chapters but I'm not promising anything, you guys. This story has a mind of its own.**

 **Rin: Three . . . Two . . . One!**

 **All: Happy birthday, Miley!**

 **Aya: This chapter is also a birthday gift, you guys! So, happy birthday to you, Miley! May you be lucky and have several more.**

 **Riku: You're one year closer to death.**

 **Hikaru and Shun: Be quiet, Riku. Birthdays are nice.**

 **Hilary: Thank you to Little. A. Granger, KinomiyaHiwatari and Miley (the birthday girl) for the reviews!**

 **Tyson: Please give us more of your feedback!**

 **Kai: It's appreciated by all of us.**

 **Ray: Tell us how we're doing.**

 **Max: Anime doesn't own. Enough said. Onwards to chapter 3!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **3: Scream**

 _ **Fear.**_

 _ **Everyone has a fear, even me.**_

 _ **I don't have a common fear.**_

 _ **I don't fear death**_

 _ **Because I'm immortal.**_

 _ **I don't fear the darkness**_

 _ **Because I am part of it.**_

 _ **I don't fear chaos**_

 _ **Because that is what I am.**_

 _ **I don't fear destruction**_

 _ **Because that is what I bring.**_

 _ **What do I fear, then?**_

 _ **I am afraid of being alone.**_

 _ **I am afraid of being alone,**_

 _ **trapped with only my thoughts for company.**_

 _ **Don't leave me alone**_

 _ **So I can hear those lonely thoughts.**_

 _ **Don't leave me alone**_

 _ **So I can curse the darkness.**_

 _ **Don't leave me alone**_

 _ **To suffer this silence.**_

 _ **Don't leave me alone.**_

 _ **I am scared.**_

 _ **Alone.**_

 _ **Abandoned.**_

 _ **I have no one.**_

 _ **In the end, I was alone.**_

 _ **And I'd be alone forever.**_

 _ **And nothing would change that.**_

 _ **I'm so scared.**_

 _ **I want someone to help me.**_

 _ **Why won't anyone help me?**_

 _ **Why won't anyone save me?**_

 _ **Someone, anyone.**_

 _ **I need someone.**_

 _ **Someone to dissolve my loneliness . . .**_

 _ **Anyone.**_

 _ **I'm lonely.**_

 _ **Save me!**_

 _ **I beg you . . .**_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Tyson woke up in a disoriented state, trying to remember when he had fallen asleep because he certainly didn't remember. He shook his head, placing a hand on his forehead as he yawned, "Man, what a really weird dream. Dragoon as a human? Gimme a break. That sounds really weird. I wonder what made me dream about that, though?"

He stretched his arms, arching his back like a cat. He yawned again and then frowned in confusion when he finally looked at his surroundings, "Okay, now where in the world am I?"

The room he was in wasn't the cell he had been in for who knows how long and it certainly wasn't his bedroom. The bed he was in was a canopy bed that had the black curtains drawn, hiding what the rest of the room looked like. The bed was massive – probably king size or something – with dark blue sheets that felt really soft. The pillows were really soft too but Tyson ignored those last two facts because he had no idea where he was. More importantly, he had no idea where Kaori and Brooklyn were at.

"Brooklyn? Kaori?" He called out as he got out of bed. He briefly registered that he wasn't wearing his old clothes. He was now sporting a black robe with golden trimmings on the edges. It was really weird because the clothes were really long so they dragged. He didn't want to know who had removed his old clothes though.

He was more interested in not tripping in these ridiculously long robes. He huffed, "Who the hell wears these kinds of clothes? It's like when I was little and I used to wear Hiro's clothes for fun and I would always trip on them."

Tyson yelped as he tripped on the hem of the robes, groaning in pain, "Geez, this sucks." He stood up and started walking again, trying to not trip again. He looked around to notice the room was dark, the only light coming from a small candle. There were no windows so Tyson didn't know if it was day or night.

"Okay, this is getting freaky." He said as he walked towards the door. He paused, wondering if it was locked. He took a deep breath and exhaled, pushing the door. To his surprise, it opened.

"Brooklyn?" He called out as he peeked his head, looking both ways but seeing only endless stairs ahead, "Kaori?"

He sighed, "Great. It seems I'm at the top of some tower." He closed the door to the room and started walking down the spiraling stairs, slowly descending because Tyson didn't want to trip on the ridiculously long robes.

"Just great. Who in their right mind would make so many stairs," He whined as he stopped descending, taking a short break, "Don't they think about others? I might keel over before finding my way out of here. And I still have no idea where Brooklyn and Kaori are at. Not to mention Takao . . ."

As he started walking down the stairs, mentally cursing the stairs and the robes, his mind drifted. He thought about everything and anything. All of his thoughts just brought back the dreams he had, the ones where Dragoon looked like a human and was hanging out with 'Chaos' and 'Night'. What were those dreams really about, anyway? And why did the name 'Chaos' sound familiar?

"Tyson!"

Tyson jumped up in surprise, snapping out of his thoughts. That loud, obnoxious voice! It was Hilary's! Was she here too?

"Hey, Tyson!"

That was Max's voice! Why did he hear Hilary and Max's voices at the end of the stairwell? A horrible thought crossed his mind and Tyson gulped. What if they were kidnapped just like he was? What if they were being tortured right now? Well, on second thought, they might be okay. They didn't sound like they were in pain, after all. Were they okay?

"Tyson, will you hurry up?"

"Tyyyyyyysoooooon! Hurry up and get down already!"

Ray and Daichi. How had they gotten here? Tyson grabbed the edges of his robes and ran down the staircase. Were they okay? They might sound like they're fine but what if they were hurt? He wasn't taking any chances.

After the long run down the flight of stairs, Tyson reached a black door. He took a couple of breaths before grabbing the door handle and opening it. He gasped and took a step back, eyes wide.

Tyson was met with a large dining table, twelve chairs at the edges and one chair at each end. But that wasn't the reason he was surprised. He was surprised that, at the end of the table, was a male that looked and dressed exactly like him except his eyes were fiery-crimson. And, unlike Kai's, these looked as if they were burning with a mysterious fire.

His look-alike smiled, "Hello, Tyson. I'm glad you could join us."

"Us?" Tyson asked, looking around and jumping a little when he noticed three of the chairs were occupied. Kaori and Brooklyn were seated next to each other in the right side of the table, tied down by thick ropes and looking very uncomfortable as they were trying to get rid of their restraints. Like Tyson, they weren't wearing the clothes they had been in when they were kidnapped.

Kaori was dressed in an off-the-shoulder dark brown dress with sleeves that reached up to her elbows. Brooklyn was dressed in robes similar to Tyson's except they were black with silver trimmings and – Tyson noted, a little annoyed – they seemed to fit him perfectly.

A seat on the left was occupied by an unconscious girl with strawberry-blonde hair and pale skin. She was wearing a light green dress, a silver circlet and, around her neck, was a heart-shaped crystal and she looked really familiar. Tyson had no idea why he thought that. He hadn't ever met her . . . right?

"Where are my manners? My name is Chaos and I'm the leader of the Forsaken Fallen." His double – Chaos – said with a charming smirk that sent chills down Tyson's spine. He had a feeling that nothing good came from a smile like that. He was a bit frightened by the fact that he could see that Chaos had sharp fangs. "I am a bit-beast and you are my tamer." Chaos finished.

"Excuse you?" Tyson asked, raising an eyebrow, looking at the teen/bit-beast with a look of disbelief, "If I recall, bit-beasts aren't humans and what in the world do you mean by tamer? I don't even know you." Then why did he feel that he did? Maybe it had something to do with the dream he had but it went farther back than that. Why did Chaos's name sound so familiar?

"Tyson's right!" Kaori shouted, tugging at her restraints harshly, looking agitated, "What do you want with us? And you're not a bit-beast, either!"

"Oh?" Chaos asked with a dangerous looking smirk. It reminded Tyson a lot of Kai's trademark smirk but deadlier, "I am not a bit-beast? Why do you think so? You do not believe me only because I look like a mortal. Unlike those 'bit-beasts' you know, children, I . . . ah . . . _borrow_ a human body to serve my purposes." He sat down on the seat at the head of the table with an aristocratic grace, "Besides, you do not know the limitations of the holy beasts. The creatures you call 'bit-beasts' limit their power to not harm your fragile human bodies."

Tyson stayed silent, thinking about that. He still remembered what happened to the people that tried to control the full power of the Cyber Bit-Beasts. It hadn't been a pretty sight. Would that happen if the rest of the bit-beasts would use all of their power with them? "Well, touché. But what human would let a bit-beast borrow their body for their-." Tyson stopped, suddenly realizing something. Of course! How could he forget about his doppelganger that had been taken and hadn't been seen since?

"Takao," Tyson whispered the name but it echoed throughout the quiet room, "That's what happened to him. I should've known. You're possessing Takao!"

"Takao? Yes, my puppet always said that that was his name. What an odd child." Chaos said with a wistful look, staring at something in the distance. It really weirded Tyson out, considering that this 'bit-beast' looked a lot like him.

"A puppet? You call Takao a puppet? That's just twisted!" Tyson shouted at him. He suddenly realized why Takao had looked so scared, so lonely, so _lost_. Who knows how long he had been under Chaos's control. Any ordinary person would crack and Takao was an ordinary person. Even strong-willed people would crack.

"You're sick!" Kaori yelled and Tyson and Brooklyn looked at her with admiration at seeing her passionate and fiery mismatched eyes. Tyson was oddly reminded of all the females he had met and befriended. Even though most of them were deadly, Kaori looked deadlier, "What kind of a bit-beast are you, huh? Arion, Dragoon and Zeus would never try to possess our bodies to fulfill their own agendas! Speaking of agendas, why the hell did you kidnap us for?!"

"My, such manners, Kaori," Chaos rolled his eyes, acting like an annoyed teenager rather than an ancient bit-beast. Tyson wondered briefly if that's how he looked like when Hilary was nagging at him. Now that he thought about that, where were Hilary, Daichi, Ray and Max? He had heard their voices coming from down here, didn't he? So where were they?

"To hell with manners!" Kaori yelled as she struggled harshly against her bonds, "Never gave a shit about them before so why start now, huh?"

Chaos stared at her with an unamused look before rolling his eyes again, turning to look at the unconscious girl that was sitting on the left, "Watch your tongue and your volume. Geez, no wonder you're perfect for Nemesis. She had a foul mouth too. Besides, you'll wake up poor little Ann."

"A-A-Ann?" Kaori and Tyson questioned at the same time, turning to the unconscious girl on the seat. Tyson felt a throb in his head and he flinched, holding it. _Ann._ That name sounded so familiar.

" _Do you think Ann will be okay?" Brilliant blue eyes. A dark chamber. A weird smell lingering in the air. Arms wrapped around him._

" _She'll be fine, Rin-nii!"_

Tyson shook his head and Chaos stood, walking towards Ann. He smiled at the girl with an oddly gentle smile, "A very powerful mortal capable of many things. She was the first to survive Yami Suzaku's attack when the other three died. An interesting mortal. Well, not really a mortal at the moment, of course."

"What do you mean?" Kaori asked, her voice softer and questioning. Brooklyn wondered if all women had the uncanny ability from going to extremely angry to calm and collected. He should really start recording the oddness of females. Well, normal people were odd in general. He should start observing the normal people and compare their behavior with the people he knows.

Chaos placed his hand in Ann's shoulder and the girl's eyes opened softly, revealing stunning light blue eyes. They appeared glassy, as if she wasn't really there. Chaos grinned, "Not many humans can survive being possessed by so many holy beasts."

" **Shut up, Chaos."** Ann spoke but Tyson, Kaori and Brooklyn flinched when they heard several voices speak. It was like eleven people said that in unison. Ann stood up and smiled, **"I see you have found your tamer along with Nemesis's. Although, who is that spare mortal?"**

"First of all, rude," Chaos interjected and the three prisoners could've sworn that he was _pouting_ , "Second of all, he is not a 'spare mortal'. He's Zeus's tamer. Thanks to him and my tamer, we woke up from our slumber ten years early. All of us except Night, though. He's still under the seal."

" **Typical. They made Night's seal the strongest to destroy. And Zeus? I thought he went rogue on us. Never choosing to side with the light or the dark."** Ann said and the trio still thought her "voice" sounded eerie. Those were a lot of voices talking. How many bit-beasts were inside that body? Poor Ann.

"Well, this time, we'll make him choose." Chaos replied before turning his narrowed eyes at Brooklyn. Brooklyn stared at him defiantly. They weren't going to make him do anything.

"Are you gonna ever answer my question?" Kaori asked loudly. Brooklyn had a feeling she was trying to keep their attention away from them. It apparently worked as Chaos and "Ann" turned to her. Kaori narrowed her eyes, "Why did you kidnap us, huh? What are you up to?"

" **You ask the right questions,"** Ann spoke **, "We kidnapped you because you are our tamers. As Chaos has said, we'll be borrowing your bodies to complete our plans that should've been completed millenniums ago."**

"You can forget it." Brooklyn replied.

Chaos chuckled, staring at them with his deadly eyes. "Oh, you're all just adorable." He grinned. He shared a look with Ann before addressing them again, "You think you have an option. Make no mistake, you three. Joining us isn't your choice to make. It is ours."

"That's happening over my dead body." Kaori shouted.

" **We're going to avoid doing that,"** Ann replied, **"But if you do not submit willingly, you will be forced to do so. And if you still will not comply, there is a possibility that you will die."**

 _We need to get out of here_ , Tyson thought with a shiver, _and now before it's too late. Kai, Max, Ray, Daichi, everyone . . . please. Find us soon. We might not make it if you don't._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Bey City, Japan_

Rin and Kai were outside of the Granger dojo, both staring at the building but not making a move to enter. Kai held the trembling Dranzer blade on his hands while Rin held Black Dranzer's bit. Kai glanced at it before looking at the dojo, "I wonder how they're coping with the disappearances."

"I'm sure that they're fine. Your friends are very strong people." Rin replied coolly as he gripped Black Dranzer's bit tighter, "Now, would you mind getting inside the house?"

Kai nodded and opened the door. Rin raised an eyebrow, staring at the shoes in the entrance, "Those are a lot of pairs of shoes, Hiwatari. I thought only Kon, Tate, Sumeragi, Saien, Tachibana, Granger-sama and Hiro were here. Wait a minute . . . those shoes. . . Oh no." Rin took a back and Kai grinned at the familiar looking shoes. He knew one girl that could terrify Rin and she was here.

"Aya!" Kai called out, "Are you here? I brought Rin with me!"

Rin paled and turned around, walking to the exit slowly as if to not make any loud noises. Kai snickered to himself, enjoying this moment. It wasn't every day that you see the mighty Rin Mizushima running away from the infamous Aya glomp. Well, he had experienced it once. He felt a small sliver of pity for Rin.

Kai heard loud footsteps approaching and then he saw the familiar blonde hair race past him, followed by the familiar voice, "Riiiiiiiin!"

Aya ran and tackled Rin into a backwards hug, making the raven-haired teen fall face-first into the ground with Aya on top of him, grinning wildly, "Rin~! It's been so long since we last saw each other! More than two weeks because you cancelled our get together! You should visit more often!" She blinked, "Oh dear, what are you doing on the ground?"

"Aya, get off me." Rin mumbled as he tried to get up.

Aya grinned widely at him and got off him, standing up, "Sorry but it's been a long time! I don't think I've heard anything from you since we discovered that the Forsaken Fallen were back."

Rin stood and Kai snorted upon seeing Rin pouting at Aya, "Aya, it hasn't been that long. I'd notice if that'd happen."

Aya rolled her eyes, "Anyways, you're a little late, aren't you?"

"I'm never late. Everyone just came early." Rin replied back.

Aya rolled her eyes again and smiled at Kai, hugging him, "It's good to see you too, Kai! You do realize you're allowed into the Orikasa estate, don't you? Don't be a stranger and just come in! You might be my husband one day!"

Kai noticed Rin rolled his eyes and proceeded to enter the house, muttering something about the "big brother test". Kai sighed, "I've been busy. By the way, how did you get here?"

"I met your buddy Max on the streets," She replied before wrapping an arm around Kai's, grinning widely, "He brought me here and he, Ray, Hilary, Hikaru, Shun, Riku and I have been discussing things about the Forsaken Fallen." She paused in the doorway, suddenly serious, "Did Rin fill you in on everything?"

"Yes." Kai responded coolly. Aya unlinked their arms and began to stare at her bare feet. Neither teen spoke for a while, not having anything to say.

"You know everything, then?" She asked suddenly, looking up, "Did he tell you that the reason he wanted you to hate him was because he was chosen to be Dark Dranzer's tamer?"

Kai nodded and Aya smiled softly, "After all these years . . . he finally told you. So, did you tell him? That you forgive him?" When Kai didn't respond, Aya pouted, lightly punching him in the arm, "You didn't do it, did you?"

"It didn't seem it was appropriate at the time."

Aya huffed and turned around, some of her hair hitting Kai, "Men are all the same." She began to walk inside without another word and Kai followed after her. They didn't wait long to spot Rin just looking at a picture that was hanging on the wall, his eyes soft.

"Hiro-nii was right after all," Rin muttered, his voice sounding wistful, "His mother was beautiful." Kai knew what photo Rin had come across. He had seen it often when he came to the dojo and he often found himself staring at it. The picture was of Yoshie Granger, Hiro and Tyson's late mother.

Yoshie Granger was a very beautiful woman with long navy blue hair similar to Tyson's and had it in a ponytail. Her eyes were similar to Hiro's but they looked playful, like her youngest son's. She was smiling at the camera and waving at it. She was dressed in a short-sleeved green shirt and khaki pants.

"She definitely is pretty." Aya smiled and then patted Rin's shoulder, grinning wildly when Rin flinched at the contact, "Hey, you shouldn't have gone on without us! You don't even know where the others are at. Chief came here and he brought on a lot of research with him! Not to mention that Nami, Hiro-nii, Daichi, Grandpa Granger and Kurumada-san are coming here soon! We might get leads of Tyson, Kaori and Brooklyn!"

"Leads, huh?" Rin muttered and tightened his grip on Black Dranzer's bit. He felt a shiver run down his spine when he felt something inside his head. He shook his head, lips tight.

Aya looked down and frowned, "Rin . . . What is that?"

"You'll see. Lead the way, _dorogoy_."

Kai shot Rin an odd look as Aya walked on ahead, raising an eyebrow. Rin narrowed his eyes and began to walk, "Don't tell her what I just said. It just slipped."

"Of course, _lyubovnik mal'chika_." Kai replied with a smirk as he began to walk next to Rin. The other began to walk faster

Rin rolled his eyes, staring at the back of Aya's head and avoiding Kai's eyes, "I see Aya as nothing more than a sister, _staryy drug_. Any relationship beyond that would be odd."

Aya turned around and crossed her arms in front of her, the two males stopping when she did, " _Ma varipari chu jaba rusi ma kura roknuhos._ " She had a stern look that the two half-Russians couldn't take seriously. It was like a Chihuahua trying to intimidate two Doberman.

Rin chuckled and muttered something under his breath while Kai raised an eyebrow, wondering what in the world the blonde had said. Aya pouted at the raven, "Don't laugh at me, _trottel_."

"I couldn't resist teasing you, _liebling_." Rin said as he began to walk away in the direction they had been heading in. As he passed Aya, he ruffled the girl's hair, much to her annoyance. Still, Kai could notice the blush on her cheeks and he sighed. It was a shame he hadn't bothered to learn German when he had the chance.

"About time ya showed up!" A loud voice yelled and the door to the dojo slid open, revealing a grinning Hikaru. Rin walked past him without a word, merely ruffling Hikaru's head. Hikaru rolled his eyes, "A simple hello would work, you weirdo. Who ruffles people's hair as a sign of hello or affection?"

Kai and Aya entered the dojo, where Hilary, Riku, Ray, Max, the twins and Kenny were waiting, several papers sprawled out in front of them. Kenny's laptop was resting on Shun's lap as the quieter twin was discussing something with the bit-beast trapped in the laptop – Kai knew that Dizzi had returned – while the genius was discussing with Riku and Hilary. Ray and Max were leaning over some papers and it was obvious that Hikaru had been with them.

When they had entered, Hilary smiled, "Hello Kai. And you must be the infamous Rin we've heard of that is going to marry Aya one day."

"I'm afraid the last part is a lie, Miss Tachibana." Rin replied as he walked towards Riku and ruffled the boy's hair affectionately, "Aya will not marry me. I believe that she'll make a better match with Tate or perhaps Hiwatari."

"That's what I told Aya-nee." Riku muttered and smiled weakly at Rin. Hilary seemed surprised at that, Kai noted. Well, he had learned a lot about Riku – Rin told him everything about the male when he found out that Riku was in the Granger dojo – and he knew it was a rare occurrence whenever he smiled.

Aya huffed and sat down next to Hilary, who looked at Aya in confusion. Aya smirked at her, "Here's my darling Prince Charming minus the shining armor and minus the charming."

"I don't think a prince should always be wearing armor that is obviously outdated." Rin retorted, "And I happen to have charm. Isn't my 'charm' the reason you're smitten with me?"

"Shut up," Aya replied and stuck out her tongue.

"Well, if anyone cares," Hikaru spoke up and they all turned to him. He pointed at the documents that Max, Ray and he had been looking at, "We've been reading articles on the 'Abduction Year', trying to find a connection between the children that were kidnapped. So far, we've found none. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary for the Forsaken Fallen to kidnap the kids."

"Keep searching, Hikaru. You might be onto something if you keep it up," Rin replied and turned to Aya, "Have you found out anything?"

"Nope." She shrugged, before resting her head on both of her hands, "Nothing at all, Rin. There were no leads on the recent kidnappings. They left nothing behind that could give us a clue to where they took Kaori, Tyson and Brooklyn."

"Shun?"

The younger twin looked up from the laptop he had been hunched over. He bit his lower lip before he responded, "Well, what we found out are things we already know about. Dizzi-san, Kenny-kun and I are trying to find out what triggered the awakening ten years ago and what caused them to fall into that deep slumber again. If we find that out, we might be able to make them sleep again."

"What about you, Rin? Find anything interesting?" Aya asked and they all looked up to look at Rin and Kai. "You were gone doing your own research about this that I know that you discovered something. What is it, then?"

Rin sat down and Kai followed suit. Rin brushed some of his bangs back before responding, "Kai and I have been trying to find out why we were targeted, similar to what Hikaru, Tate and Kon are doing at the moment. I found out that people from same families can possess a bit-beast and, if something were to happen to the original tamer, the bit-beast may find another tamer in the same family its previous tamer was from."

Aya groaned, "So that means if I were to die now, one of my cousins could become Dark Draciel's tamer?"

"Precisely. That's exactly what I am talking about," Rin nodded and Aya grinned because of the praise, "This led me to look into my family tree and I found out one of my ancestors married into the Kumai family."

"That means that you're a distant relative of Kaori Kumai, another tamer of the Forsaken Fallen." Ray inputted. Ray looked Rin in the eye, calculating the other boy's actions. Rin gave Ray an affirmative nod.

"That is not all. I found out that I am also a relative of Boris Balkov," Rin watched several of the occupants flinch and continued, "which lead me to retrieving this." He opened his palm and Max took a sharp intake of breath upon seeing the bit that was resting on Rin's palm.

"Black Dranzer." Ray whispered. Only Hilary was staring at the bit with confusion. Out of all of them, she hadn't experienced the power of the dark bit-beast. Ray narrowed his eyes at Rin, "Why-?"

"Did I get it?" Rin finished, "Kai asked the exact same thing. The answer is that Black Dranzer is a dangerous bit-beast, one of the most powerful ones in the world. Only the combined powers of Dragoon, Dranzer, Draciel and Driger were able to defeat him. If he fell in the hands of the Forsaken Fallen, they'd be unstoppable. After all," Rin closed his eyes and sighed, "that _was_ their plan."

"What?" They all asked.

"We did a little more research on Black Dranzer as soon as we got him," This time, it was Kai speaking, "Several phoenixes were created during biblical times and Black Phoenix was created by Lucifer to carry out his war needs. If you recall, Lucifer is the ruler of Hell and there are several deities that are rulers of some variation of Hell. In Norse mythology, the goddess Hel. In Roman mythology, the god Pluto. In Greek mythology-."

"Hades," Hilary gasped, "A member of the Forsaken Fallen."

Rin and Kai nodded. Max placed a hand under his chin as he tried to connect all the dots, "Hades created Black Dranzer so it was similar to Dark Dranzer and Dranzer but with unlimited power. A perfect bit-beast. A perfect beast to destroy the sacred spirits and give the Forsaken Fallen an advantage."

"They must have never had the chance to use him, though," Aya continued and everyone turned to face her, "We all know that Black Dranzer is the strongest bit-beast around. He could defeat the sacred spirits easily."

"Rin is related to Boris, who found the Black Dranzer, right?" Riku interjected and they all turned to him now. "Rin said that bit-beasts could cling to members of the same family so did Dark Dranzer tell Boris where to find Black Dranzer? Did they manipulate him into finding it?"

"You're all right, of course," Rin answered, "But Dark Dranzer was dormant when Boris found Black Dranzer. The one who was still conscious of the world around him was Chaos. He helped Boris find Black Dranzer so, as soon as they were released, they'd know exactly where to find him. It also helped their cause that Boris and his scientists perfected the bit-beast."

"Damn." Hikaru muttered.

"So what are we going to do with him?" Hilary asked, "Aside from keeping him away from the Forsaken Fallen?"

"None of us but Kai are capable of wielding Black Dranzer's power so using him against the Forsaken Fallen is out of the question. But I have a better idea." Rin smirked at the bit and Kenny noticed Shun, Hikaru and Aya shivered at the sight of it. This might mean good or bad news.

"Rin thought that it'd be wise if we trapped Black Dranzer in some sort of seal but it might work if there were at least five bit-beasts around to do so." Kai responded, "That's why he decided to come here."

"But where are you going to seal him?" Hikaru asked, "It's a nice plan but where exactly are you going to seal him away?"

Rin sighed, "You make it sound like I didn't think things through, Hikaru. I know for a fact that there is an object in this household that has enough strength to contain this bit-beast and it's here in this room."

"Kenny's laptop?" Riku offered and both Kai and Rin face-palmed at his seriousness. Riku pointed at the laptop that was currently resting on Shun's lap, "Dizzi is in there, right? It must be a powerful object if it can contain a bit-beast like her. You're talking about the laptop, right, Rin?"

'As flattering as that is,' Dizzi inputted, 'I'm not sharing this laptop with that destructive creature. We don't know if he's angry at the thought of being sealed. And I'm not planning on testing his mood!'

"Riku, we're not going to discuss the possibilities of putting the most powerful and destructive bit-beast in this world inside a laptop. It wouldn't work." Rin replied tensely, massaging his head in a manner that Kai recognized. It was when he was close to getting a headache. Kai didn't blame him for it.

"Not with that attitude." Riku responded.

Kai groaned, running a hand through his spiky hair, "Oh, for the love of everything holy, we're talking about sealing Black Dranzer inside the sword that Dragoon used to be inside of!"

Everyone blinked and turned to look at the old Granger heirloom that was resting on top of an altar. The crest that was between the hilt and the blade was empty but they all knew that it had once held Dragoon's image before the beast entered Tyson's beyblade.

"Oh, that makes more sense than trapping Black Dranzer in a laptop." The twins said in unison, cocking their heads to the side at the same time. Everyone in the room was so used to them speaking entire sentences at the same time that they didn't even look surprised. All eyes were currently on the sword.

"Will it work?" Kenny asked, turning to Rin. The young tycoon hesitated before giving the genius a nod. Kenny gulped, "Well, I suppose we can give it a shot. We have nothing to lose."

"Let's just hope it works." Aya muttered.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Not much to say here. Except sorry to Granger-sama for the Ann OC. I just couldn't resist. And the Black Dranzer information is legit, I think. I did my own research. Also, which character do you think is the one who is afraid of being alone? I gave hints to his identity. Do you know it? As for Rin ruffling people's hair as a sign of hello and affection . . . that's one of my weird quirks. That's all for now. Wait for the next chapter, okay? See ya!**

 _ **~~MIAB~~**_

 **Translation:**

 **Rin (Russian):** _ **dorogoy**_ **= darling**

 **Kai (Russian):** _ **lyubovnik mal'chika**_ **= lover boy**

 **Rin (Russian):** _ **staryy drug**_ **= old friend**

 **Aya (Nepali):** _ **Ma varipari chu jaba rusi ma kura roknuhos**_ **= Stop talking in Russian when I'm around.**

 **Aya (German):** _ **trottel**_ **= jerk**

 **Rin (German):** _ **liebling**_ **= darling**

 _ **~~MIAB~~**_

 **Chapter 4: Awake and Alive**

 **Song: Awake and Alive by Skillet**


	5. Chapter 4: Awake and Alive

**Anime: Chapter 4! A double update. Yay for me?**

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **4: Awake and Alive**

 _Bey City, Japan_

Hiro paused as they were about to enter the dojo, frowning as he felt a bad feeling coursing through his body. What was going on with him? Why did he feel something dark was inside the house? Daichi seemed to notice as he stopped, "Hiro? What's wrong?" This caught the attention of Grandpa, Nami and Katsu, who was holding several documents in his hands.

"I feel something coming from the dojo . . ." Hiro muttered, looking at the house with undisguised worry. Nami swayed where she stood and Daichi noticed, placing both his hands on her shoulders to steady her. Hiro held his head as it was pounding and looked at her with a worried expression, "Nami . . . Do you feel that?"

Nami nodded, staring at the dojo with tired eyes, "Yes. What a dark power. What do you think it is, Hiro-nii?"

"I don't know. I hope that the others are okay in there."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"It feels like we're doing some kind of voodoo magic." Hilary whispered to Aya. She, along with Riku, Aya, Hikaru and Shun, were standing outside the closed dojo door, having been kicked out by Rin.

"I know." Aya whispered back, "Weird, huh?"

Inside the room, Rin, Kenny, Max, Ray and Kai were sitting in a circle around the old Granger sword and Black Dranzer's bit. Rin sighed, as he placed Dragoon's blade in front of him, "I haven't tried to ever do this but I remember how the ceremony goes thanks to Dark Dranzer's memory. Let's see if this works." Max, Ray and Kai nodded in agreement

Kenny fidgeted, holding his laptop tightly, "Um, Rin . . . Why am I here?" Why couldn't he have stayed with the others? This was awful.

"I think I said five bit-beasts, Saien," Rin replied with an all-knowing smirk that made Kenny shudder, "If I recall, there are five bit-beasts in this house, including your bit-beast Dizzi."

'This is just great.' Dizzi replied.

"Let's start, then." Max said and closed his eyes, Ray and Kai following suit.

Rin closed his eyes and began to speak in a language none of the ones present could understand or identify. Max didn't understand what Rin was saying but he felt relaxed as he heard him speak. It seemed as if Rin was singing a lullaby of some sorts. He could feel all of his stress leaving his body. His worries for the future disappeared and he felt himself chanting along with Rin.

Ray listened to the chant Rin was saying and he found himself understanding what was being said. He was speaking of an endless dream and the ancestral home of the holy beasts. He was speaking in a soothing voice, the way a parent would speak to their child to calm them. He wanted to see that place. He wanted to see the beauty that Rin spoke of.

Kai heard the chant and saw images of a beautiful silver tree that touched stars and planets alike. He saw the back of a girl with dark brown hair that reached up to her shoulders. He saw a dark tower in the base of the giant tree. He could see beautiful meadows and clean rivers. He heard the sound of an ocarina being played, the laughter of children. He had never felt so calm.

Kenny was the only one that could see what was going on. He saw the red aura that surrounded Rin, the raven's hair now flaming red. He could see lights coming out of the four blades and his laptop. Max was surrounded by a purple aura and his hair had turned purple, much to Kenny's surprise. Ray and Kai still looked the same and Kenny had a feeling that he did too.

The Granger sword was shaking and Kenny could see dark tendrils coming out from Black Dranzer's bit. He gulped and looked at his companions but none of them were seeing what he did. He could hear Black Dranzer whispering something but he didn't understand what.

Kenny saw a black orb come out of the bit and start heading towards the crest in the sword. He gave out a small gasp. Was it going to work? Please let it work. It was their only hope. He heard a screech coming from the black orb before it entered the crest. Kenny smiled. They did it!

Rin and Max both fell on their sides, passed out. Kai and Ray opened their eyes and then the dojo door slid open. Aya gasped, "Rin! Max!" The twins, Aya and Hilary rushed into the room to check up on the fainted boys. Riku, on the other hand, walked slowly to the two objects. He crouched down and picked up the bit that once held the image of Black Dranzer but was now blank. The crest of the sword that had once held the image of Dragoon now held the black phoenix.

"He's really gone." Riku muttered in awe, "It worked."

"What happened to them?" Ray asked as the twins laid Rin and Max on their backs. Hilary checked their pulse and smiled when she felt their heartbeats. Ray shook Max, "Maxie? Hey, wake up."

Kai nudged Rin and an annoyed groan came from the raven. Rin opened his eyes and Kai swore he saw them flash red before the color of Rin's eyes went back to normal. Rin sat up, rubbing his head, "Didn't expect he'd put up a fight. He didn't want to go to sleep. It took lots of coaxing before he fell asleep and we got him to leave his bit-chip."

"You're okay!" Aya smiled.

"Then how come Max-kun-."

"-isn't awake yet?"

They all turned to the unconscious blonde and the twins were right. Max was still in a comatose state. Ray began to shake the younger boy but, unlike Rin, he had no reaction. Hilary covered her mouth with one of her hands as her eyes widened. Aya gasped in shock, "Why isn't he waking up?"

Rin shook his head as obvious worry was present in his face, even though Kai knew that the other would never admit that he was worried, "I don't know . . . He's not supposed to be like this. Even if he did lend me a hand, this shouldn't be happening. Tate, wake up!"

"Dizzi-san," Shun turned to Kenny's laptop. Hikaru flinched and looked away from the scared and desperate eyes of his little brother. It made him remember things that were better forgotten, "do you know what's going on? Do you know what happened to Max-kun?"

Dizzi was silent for a moment before replying cryptically, 'Max, how did you make it there? No human has ever made it there.'

"You know where Max is?" Kai asked the bit-beast as he turned to her, "Where is he?" He would never openly admit that he was worried about his teammate, the same way Rin would never admit that he was worried about Max. But his actions spoke louder than his words.

'He is safe, don't worry. Although-.'

"What is it?" They all asked the female bit-beast. She remained silent and so did the teenagers. They all just stared at the laptop, wanting her to explain. If she knew where Max was, why wasn't she telling them?

Daichi's voice broke the silence, "What in the world is going on here?"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Max opened his eyes and frowned, "Where in the world am I?" He was laying down in a green meadow, surrounded by flowers that glowed like stars. The sky above him was littered with shining stars and massive planets. He could even see the silver branches of some huge tree touching all of them.

He sat up and rubbed his head, "Ow, that definitely hurts. . ."

" _Do not worry, the pain will pass."_

Max turned around to see a boy around his age standing behind him. The boy had long black hair and white eyes. He was wearing a black cloak and there was a silver chain around his neck. He couldn't help but notice the chains on the boy's wrists and ankles.

"Who are you?" Max asked.

The boy smiled fondly at him, _"Only a human would ask that so I presume you are one, tamer of Draciel. Am I correct?"_ The boy seemed to radiate serenity, his eyes soft and his smile sincere. He spoke with a soothing voice that echoed around the place and he sounded ancient, yet young at the same time. Max couldn't help but trust him.

Max nodded, "How did you know?"

The boy sat down next to him, _"I had a feeling."_

Max looked around again, "Where are we?"

The boy looked around, looking confused as well, _"I do not know this place's name. It looks similar to my ancestral home but it is not. If this place had a name once, it has long been forgotten even by someone who is as ancient as myself."_

The boy stretched his arms above him, the clinking of his chains being the only thing that shattered the silence. He smiled at him, _"I do not tend to have many visitors so it is pleasant when I finally receive one. What is your name?"_

"Max. Yours?"

" _Night."_

Max flinched, suddenly on-guard, "You're a member of the Forsaken Fallen!"

Night raised an eyebrow, _"The Forsaken Fallen? What in the nine realms do you mean by that, Max?"_ He paused for a moment and narrowed his eyes _, "Do not tell me Chaos is still trying to name our group like that. I swear, someone has to tell him that the name 'Forsaken Fallen' will not stick and it is not appealing."_

Max blinked, "You don't know what the Forsaken Fallen are? You know . . . twelve dangerous and dark bit-beasts that want to destroy humanity, let chaos rule and that the world be covered in endless night?"

Night looked really surprised at that, staring at Max as if he was some kind of complex puzzle, _"I have a question. What is a 'bit-beast'?"_

Max scratched the back of his head. How could he explain the concept of a bit-beast to a kid that was supposed to be a bit-beast? "Well . . . Draciel is a bit-beast and so is Chaos. You're supposed to be one too, if I remember. I have no idea why you look like a human kid, though."

Night chuckled, staring at Max the way an adult would look at a small child, _"The terminology you are using is wrong, Max. We are not 'bit-beasts', we are holy beasts or sacred spirits. You can use either one, although I highly doubt that either of the two can describe Chaos. He is definitely not 'holy' or 'sacred'. Other words could be used to describe him."_

Max rolled his eyes, "I bet. Well, aren't you a dark 'holy spirit'?"

Night's eyes turned sorrowful, _"I suppose I am. I do not know the difference between good and evil, light or dark, anymore. I used to know, once upon a time. But the concept now eludes me. What is right and what is wrong?"_

Max stared at how sad Night looked like and pitied him, "Well . . . they said you and the other eleven members of the Forsaken Fallen wanted to destroy humanity and you were sealed away by the sacred spirits because of that."

" _Destroy humanity?"_ Night questioned, looking at Max with lost eyes, _"I never wanted that. They told me we were supposed to protect humanity. And we did do so. It was the humans we were meant to protect that wanted to destroy us. They feared our power so they stuck a deal with my brothers and sisters to seal us away. That is what they did. . . That is why I am here."_

Max frowned. That didn't make any sense. "Then how come Chaos and the others are hellbent on destruction of the human race?"

Night held his head, _"I feel so lost now. I do not know what is going on anymore."_

"Then tell me what you do know, Night." Max said. The holy beast turned his pale eyes at him and Max flinched at the lost eyes that met his. They looked eerily similar to Riku's eyes.

Night took a deep breath and exhaled, _"What do want me to tell you?"_

"Tell me everything. Start from the beginning."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Kaori screamed as she felt electricity run through her whole body. She looked up to see Brooklyn and Tyson in a similar predicament, both of them screaming as loudly as her. The pain felt unbearable but Kaori felt that this was familiar. She remembered this sensation but she had no idea from where.

Perhaps she remembered this sensation from the events Chaos said happened ten years ago, even though she had no memory of it. Maybe it was a good thing that her memories of those months were gone. She couldn't imagine anyone living when they remembered this awful pain.

Someone turned off the machine that fueled the electric chairs and the trio slumped in their seats. Tyson panted, twitching at random times due to the electricity running through his system. "Are you guys okay?" He managed to ask.

Kaori tried to speak but she couldn't find her voice. The three were sitting in electric chairs and strapped down tightly so they couldn't escape. Chaos hadn't set the power to high so that meant that they weren't going to die from the electrocution. Still, he had set it high enough for it to hurt like hell.

Brooklyn was twitching, trying to regain control of his scrambled thoughts. All his mind could register is that he was in pain. He tried to ignore the pain but it was hard when his whole body was screaming from abuse. He hadn't even registered that Tyson had spoken.

Chaos stared at them, observing all of their reactions. He tsked when he did not find what he was looking for, "You still have those rebellious eyes. It seems you can take more pain now that you're older. How peculiar. It was much easier when you were children, you know? Children are easier to break. Teenagers are rebellious by nature, I suppose, so it'll take some time before you're ready to assume your roles as tamers."

"Forget it." Tyson spat out after a while. He glared at Chaos with all his might, hoping the other would be intimidated. Chaos frowned at Tyson and sighed before turning the machine on again. The room was once again filled with the pained screams of the three teens. They were all shaking violently in their chairs, their bodies twisting in an effort to find a way to stop the pain.

Chaos huffed, "Kids these days."

" **Is that really necessary? I'm sure there are other methods to make them crack."** Ann asked from behind him, her voice overlapping with the voices of the other members of the Forsaken Fallen. Chaos had to admit that it freaked him out a little. And at the same time, he was a little disappointed that he couldn't hear the voice of the only one he cared about.

 _Night, don't worry. We'll break the seal and you'll be free. You've been the only one that has never woken up from that sleep those traitors but us in. Hang on, my brother, we'll get you out soon._

"Well, you guys aren't offering up any," Chaos replied, not betraying any of his thoughts, "Besides, you should try to get the other tamers in the meantime. Don't you want to have your tamers here? It must get bothersome sharing the same body. I know I wouldn't enjoy it."

" **Of course we want to find our tamers. It is bothersome sharing a body because everyone wants to use it at the same time. We have a problem, though. Our tamers are all in the same place as the sacred spirits. It'll be hard to get past them. How will we retrieve them?"** Ann asked, turning her head to the side.

Chaos smirked deviously at her and spoke, "We all know that two aren't in Bey City at the moment. In fact, two of them are currently in Madrid, Spain. They don't know about us and are basically defenseless. Hecate, Hades, your tamers are waiting for you. I wouldn't keep them waiting."

Ann smiled, her glassy eyes lighting up with glee, **"Of course. The twins might get lonely. How insensitive of us to forget them. They always did hate to be left alone. I wonder if they're still scared of the darkness."** She gave out a dark chuckle that Chaos knew came from both Hades and Hecate. After all, they were talking about their tamers.

"Now that you have something to do, you two, go on your way." Chaos shooed Ann, who glared at him. Chaos rolled his eyes and turned off the machine, making the room become silent, except for the pants from the ones who were getting tortured. He smiled, "Julia and Raul might get lonely if you wait too long."

Ann nodded and left the room. Tyson, the only one of the three that had heard, looked up at him, "No . . . stay away from them! Don't you dare get near Julia, Raul or anyone else!"

Chaos huffed, "I've been bossed around since I was created by the elders millennium ago. 'Chaos, do this' and 'Chaos, do that'. I'm sick and tired of listening to others. Your warnings are in vain, my tamer. Julia and Raul belong here, just like you do. Rin, Aya, Riku, Hikaru, Shun, Nami Kaori, Raul, Julia, Hiro and you will return to the darkness that you belong in."

"You can't do this!" Tyson replied. He stared at Chaos with hopeful eyes, as if he was expecting something to happen, "Takao, please wake up! I know you're in there! Please! You can stop this! You don't know this but you have the power to fight back against Chaos! So try to fight back!" Out of everything he was expecting, Chaos hadn't anticipated Tyson trying to awaken Takao.

Chaos narrowed his eyes at Tyson, hating that he could feel 'Takao' stirring from the darkness he was trapped in, deep within the recesses of the mortal's mind. He looked away from him, eyes closed. He'd have to talk to Takao soon, it seemed. He needed to learn his place. Oh well.

"The boy known as 'Takao Kinomiya' is gone," Chaos replied, facing Tyson directly. He hated that he could feel Takao screaming now. "Soon, 'Tyson Granger' will be too." Chaos turned the machine on again.

The screams continued.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _You are brooding, Chaos. It does not suit you." Night said aloud. He was looking up at Chaos who was on top of the tree. He was sitting down with his knees drawn in, his arms wrapped around them. He was pouting, looking at the village. He looked depressed and dreadful, Night perceived._

" _Am not." Chaos replied, leaning towards the tree's trunk._

" _Chaos, are you irritated that Dragoon is with Daisuke again?" Night asked with an all-knowing look. Chaos looked down to glare at him but didn't reply. Night rolled his eyes, "You are so juvenile."_

" _Well, he is speaking with the humans as if he is one!" Chaos replied, "He should learn his place. He knows that there is a line that we cannot cross. . . We will live forever while those humans like Daisuke are mortal."_

 _Night sighed and jumped high into the air. He landed on the branch Chaos was on and sat down, "You envy them for their mortality."_

 _Chaos stiffened and looked away, "I do not-."_

" _You can lie to everyone we know, Chaos, but I can see your truths and your lies," Night interrupted, "You envy them because they are mortal. They will eventually die. That is what you want._

" _You have had this obligation for centuries now," Night continued, "Since the Elders created you, you have been trying to keep the balance secure. There can be no order without chaos and no chaos without order. You despise your burden. You want to get away from your duty. If you were mortal, you would eventually perish and pass on the task to another."_

" _But I am not mortal, now am I?" Chaos muttered. His bangs hid his eyes, "I do not want Dragoon to wish the same thing I do."_

" _Wish for mortality?" Night asked and Chaos nodded. Night smiled softly at him, "Do not fret, my brother. You will not return to that tower anytime soon. You will not be alone again."_

 _Chaos smiled and nodded. Night grinned, "There is my reckless brother. Now, let us go. Yami-Suzaku and Dranzer wanted to show us something." He jumped off the tree and looked up, "Trust me, I am sure it will be more interesting than sulking."_

 _Chaos chuckled, "Fine. Let us depart."_

 _Night nodded and jumped off the branch. Midnight-black wings sprouted from his back and he took off. Chaos followed suit, materializing black wings with flecks of gold in them. Night nodded when Chaos caught up and they flew into the distance to meet up with the two phoenixes, their conversation long forgotten._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"So, let me get this straight," Daichi spoke up, "You guys managed to seal Black Dranzer, the most powerful bit-beast, inside the Granger sword. However, that's the reason why Max still hasn't woken up."

All the teenagers including Hiro were inside the dojo, sitting down in a circle. Katsu and Grandpa were checking up on Max, who had been moved to Hiro's room for the time being until he woke up.

The Granger sword was back in its rightful place and all the papers were gathered up in a nice stack in the middle of the circle. Hiro held the documents Katsu had found in the old Forsaken Fallen headquarters but no one had yet to read its contents, as they had been too busy trying to explain to Daichi what had happened in the dojo that had caused Max to pass out.

"Yes," Rin said with an annoyed tone that everyone could hear clearly, "That's what we've explained to you for the fifth time this hour, Sumeragi." Quite frankly, everyone looked annoyed that Daichi had to hear the story five times before he understood what had happened.

Nami stared at the sword that now held the image of Black Dranzer, "I can't believe you managed to do that, Rin. I didn't think you would remember the chant but it seems that you did. I'm impressed."

Kai huffed and Aya, who was sitting between him and Rin – because there had to be a barrier between the two or things might get ugly – turned to him. Kai looked up, "Yes, we may have sealed Black Dranzer away successfully but Max is _still_ unconscious. I don't think this means that the sealing was a complete success."

"Kai's right." Aya mumbled, placing a hand under her chin, "It's been two hours since the sealing happened and Max is still comatose. I'm worried about him."

"We can't even take him to a hospital." Hikaru sighed, leaning towards Shun, "Our medics may be good but even they can't treat a patient that is perfectly fine." No one missed the sad look on Shun's face as his brother spoke.

"Isn't there something we can do?" Hilary asked, "We can't just sit around here and wait until he wakes up, can we?"

"It's our only choice." Ray replied.

"Maybe we should read the documents that Hiro-nii has," Riku spoke up and all of them turned to him. Riku lowered his head, bangs covering most of his face, "It might not help Max and his condition but those documents might help us find Tyson, Brooklyn and Kaori. Isn't that going to occupy us?"

"You're right," Hiro nodded at him and placed the documents in front of him. Rin, Hilary, Shun and Kenny immediately leaned forward. Hiro grabbed one of the folders and passed it to Rin. Rin motioned at Kai to read it with him as he opened the folder. Immediately, a picture fell out. Kai picked it up and frowned, "What. . .?"

"What is it?" Aya asked and leaned to see it. Her eyes went wide, "Oh . . ."

"What?" Rin asked, trying to look at it.

"Rin," Kai asked, still staring at the photograph, "Were your parents ever interested in archeology?"

Rin frowned at the odd question before he began to think about it, "My mother said that she interned with an archeologist when she was younger but she left that when she married my father. Why do you ask?"

Kai answered by showing the picture to them. The picture showed a group of archeologists in a dig, all of them smiling at the photograph. Hiro and Rin's eyes widened as they recognized some of the members of the photograph. The person that stood out the most to everyone looking at the picture was a pale female that seemed to be around seventeen years old with flaming red hair and brilliant blue eyes. Eyes that were familiar because a certain raven possessed the same eyes.

"That's my mother . . ." Rin whispered in awe before his eyes sharpened, his voice deadly, "Why did the Forsaken Fallen have a picture of my mother?"

"Take a closer look, Rin," Aya replied before pointing at another person in the picture. It was someone who looked a lot like Rin, except his eyes were crimson-red and he seemed to be eighteen. Rin looked confused as he stared at the picture of his young parents.

"That's not all." Kai pointed at two people that Hiro was too familiar with, "Bruce and Yoshie Granger are in this picture too."

"That's crazy." The twins said in unison while Rin and Hiro looked up to face each other. Their parents apparently knew each other yet they had never known about that.

"Who are the other people in the picture?" Hilary asked as she leaned closer to see the other people. Besides Rin and Hiro's parents, there were five other people. Hilary frowned, pointing at one of the females, "She looks really familiar but I don't know from where. . ."

Rin turned to the papers and took out a news article. He scanned the picture, frowning, "This article dates back seventeen years ago. Apparently this expedition was led by Bruce Granger. The members of his team are Yoshie Granger, Hiromi Hirano, Kazuya Orikasa, Elva Giese, Arya Agrawal, Santiago Iglesias, Natasha Borkov and Haru Mizushima."

"Elva Giese?" The twins asked in unison.

"Kazuya Orikasa?" Aya asked.

"Arya Agrawal?" Riku muttered.

"Santiago Iglesias?" Nami asked.

"Hiromi Hirano?" Hilary questioned.

Rin looked up at them in question. Recognition had passed through their faces. Kai crossed his arms in front of them, "How did you recognize these names?" He got straight to the point. There was no point in beating around the bush at the moment. Every detail was important these days.

"Elva was our mother's cousin," Hikaru replied, sharing a glance with Shun, "She died in plane crash when Shun and I were four. She never had any kids because she was unable to."

"Kazuya was my cousin." Aya responded. She sighed, shaking her head, "He died in a tsunami when I was three. I hardly remember him even though there are some photos of him carrying me. He died on the eve of his wedding."

"Arya was my aunt from Rai's side of the family," Riku muttered, twiddling with his fingers, "She died during a lightning storm when I was two, I think. Rai said that a lightning bolt hit her home. Her husband and their three children died there too."

"Santiago was my mother's distant relative from Argentina." Nami said, "He died when an earthquake hit Japan when he had been visiting my mother. Mother told me that he died two days before I was born and that he hadn't wanted any kids, even though he was married."

That left Hilary to explain why she knew Hiromi Hirano. Hilary looked at them straight in the eye, "Hiromi is my grandmother."

"Is? Present tense?" Ray questioned.

Hilary nodded, "Yes, she's alive. She's turning fifty-eight next year."

"Okay," Daichi seemed to be the only one that wasn't dumbfounded by the events, "So, Tyson and Hiro's parents, Rin's parents and relatives of the twins, Aya, Riku, Nami and Hilary were part of an archeological dig. But did they find anything? And what were they looking for?"

Rin seemed to snap back into his senses at Daichi's questioning and began to read aloud, "They had discovered the ruins of an ancient temple buried deep underground. There were several paintings found in the cave walls that depicted strange creatures. The most fascinating object in the ancient temple was found by intern Borkov. It seemed to closely resemble an ancient spinning top . . . Oh, shit."

"What?" Kai asked, mildly amused but worry was prominent on his voice. Rin didn't often curse. Something had to be very wrong for Rin to curse. Kai had a bad feeling about this.

Rin gave out a groan, his cheeks turning dusty pink, "Unfortunately, during a scuffle between interns Borkov and Mizushima, the object was destroyed. Only a picture taken by Borkov shows us how the object looked like."

Kai tried to hold back his laugh, surprising many of the ones that were present in the room, "So typical of Natasha and Haru. Always bickering, my parents told me. It was a wonder how they got together."

Rin turned a shade darker of pink in embarrassment, "We can talk about the love-hate relationship between my parents at a later time. I think we should focus on the object that they found and broke."

"Alright, alright." Aya said with a huff, "What about the object?"

Rin looked up, his blush now gone, "It had a symbol on it that showed eight arrows organized in a radial pattern, all of the arrows pointing outward. This symbol is the same one that is said to be an ancient symbol of an equally ancient deity. It is the symbol of Chaos." They were all quiet, all of them having understood what that meant. But that would mean that . . .

Rin gave out a weak cry, covering his face with his hand. Kai could see that he was trembling but knew he wasn't crying. Rin spoke up after a while, "My parents were the ones that unleashed Chaos."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Shorter chapters. Hurray! Oh, and it seems that everything is coming together nicely.**

 **Mariah: Define 'nicely'.**

 **Brooklyn: You should get away. Things are going to get nasty.**

 **Anime: Thanks for your input. Well, school's back in session [internal screaming] so there might be a space between updates because I might not have enough time to work (I'm finally a sophomore! I'm free from being a freshman!). Apologizing in advance.**

 **Kai: Have a happy birthday, Miley.**

 **Max: Lots of things happened in this chapter, don't ya think?**

 **Tyson: I am so tired.**

 **Night: I need a moment to take everything in. *takes a deep breath* Chaos, you juvenile oaf! What do you think you are doing?**

 **Chaos: Night, don't go acting like my mother.**

 **Night: *grabs Chaos by the ear and drags him away* You are getting a stern lecture, Chaos!**

 **Chaos: Niiiiight!**

 **Kai: Good luck, Night. Maybe you can talk some sense into him.**

 **Rin: Which I highly doubt.**

 **All: See you in the next chapter!**

 _ **~~MIAB~~**_

 **Chapter 5: Haunted**

 **Song: Haunted by Evanescence**


	6. Chapter 5: Haunted

**Anime: Hello guys and welcome to the long awaited chapter 5 of MIAB: Haunted. Sorry if there are any mistakes (tell me what they are) or if something just plain sucks. Just tell me outright about it. I have no beta** **to** **I edit my stuff.**

 **Rin: This chapter starts with how Chaos was unleashed from his seal, then jumps to us then jumps to the Fernandez twins.**

 **Tyson: There's a reason why this day was chosen to be an "update" day.**

 **Max: Today is September 23 (where Anime lives) and a very special day for someone. . .**

 **Aya: So give a warm happy birthday to . . .**

 **All: Little. A. Granger AKA Ann!**

 **Anime: Hey, bud. I'm not with you in person so enjoy this update as a birthday present.**

 **Shun and Hikaru: Hugs to the lovely reviews from the birthday author, Miley-chan and KinomiyaHiwatari-chan! Thank you for your support!**

 **Kaori: Enough stalling from us.**

 **All: On with the chapter!**

 **Chaos: Anime doesn't own Beyblade. Apparently. Or else I would be the villain for Season 4.**

 **Night: Give it a rest, Chaos.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **5: Haunted**

 _Lost Temple of Deities, Heilongjiang, China_

 _Seventeen years ago_

"Go away, Mizushima," A seventeen year old Natasha Borkov said, turning to face the male that was following her. Haru Mizushima, currently eighteen, grinned at her, wrapping an arm around her. She smacked his hand away and Haru hissed in pain, holding said injured hand.

He pouted, "Come on, Nat."

Natasha narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't call me 'Nat'."

Haru rolled his eyes as Natasha turned away from him and began to walk down the darkness of the ancient temple, "What's up with you? Are you still mad because of all the pranks Susumu and I would do to you and Kana when we were kids? Because, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"You're insufferable, you stubborn mule. Leave me alone. I'm actually trying to work to help Bruce with his research. You should try doing the same." Natasha replied, gathering up her hair in a ponytail because it was hotter inside the temple than outside.

Haru sighed as he followed her deeper into the depths of the temple, "I'm not one that specializes in romances, you know. So I'm going to be straightforward and tell you that I like you and I want to have kids with you."

Natasha scoffed, "You really know how to make a girl swoon, Haru. Besides, wouldn't your darling Susumu get jealous? I would hate to come between such a lovely homosexual couple."

She giggled and Haru groaned loudly, "How many times do we have to tell you and Kana that we're not gay?! And, if I was, I wouldn't go out with Susumu _freaking_ Hiwatari. Voltaire would probably kill me if that ever happened."

"Oh really?" She said, turning to face him with a large grin, "If I recall, Kana overheard your parents and Susumu's talking about you two getting married."

Haru paled and stared at her with a look of disgust and horror, "Oh, hell no! That is a lie, Borkov!"

"What makes you so sure, Mizushima?" Natasha teased as she turned to look forward and actually see where she was going.

"Voltaire doesn't want me as his son-in-law," Haru replied as Natasha stopped to look at the image of two phoenixes wrapped together, "And my father doesn't want Susumu as his son-in-law either. Voltaire adores Kana and wants her as a daughter-in-law. Susumu already has the plan that he'll marry Kana and they'll have a handsome and intelligent son named Kai and a beautiful and charming daughter named Raisa. I think that might happen soon, considering Susumu is planning on proposing to her."

"And does your father want me as his daughter-in-law?" Natasha asked. She was glad that Haru couldn't see the hopeful look on her face. It might reveal too much on her feelings for him.

Haru laughed nervously, scratching the back of head, "Not really. He and my mother don't like you. They call you a 'Russian wench'." Of course, that didn't mean that would stop him from trying to marry the fiery Russian. He rather liked her like that. A demure girl like Kana had no appeal to him.

"The nerve. I happen to come from a very prestigious family. The Borkovs are not to be taken lightly." Natasha replied coldly. Since he wasn't looking at her, Haru missed the sad and disappointed expression on the Russian girl's face.

Haru rolled his eyes, "You got lots of pride."

"I'm Russian." She replied, "I'm proud of my home country and my heritage. At least I'm not Japanese." She began to walk away, turning on the flashlight that she had taken out of her bag.

Haru stayed rooted on the spot for a couple of minutes, trying to see if she was going to take back her comment. When she didn't, he asked, "What do you mean by 'at least I'm not Japanese'?" He began to go after her, "I'll have you know, we Japanese have pride!"

"Yes, of course," Natasha said as she took a picture of a symbol in a wall, "That's why your great samurais would rather die than face the horror of defeat, right? Man, they weren't great losers, were they?"

Haru growled, "At least I'm not a thrice-accursed Russian-."

The argument stopped when the two began to hear whispering. Both of them shared a look and started following the sound, their argument long gone. The whispering became a voice and the voice was singing. Natasha's eyes softened at the forlorn tune, "It sounds like a child."

Haru raised his index finger to his lips to silence her. Natasha was about to argue but then she could hear what the child was singing.

" _You won't cry for my absence, I know -_

 _You forgot me long ago._

 _Am I that unimportant...?_

 _Am I so insignificant...?_

 _Isn't something missing?_

 _Isn't someone missing me?"_

The two turned a corner, still listening to the soft, sad tune. Although, they were both wondering what a child was doing in felt sad by hearing those words and Natasha felt sad knowing that a child was by himself.

" _Even though I'm the sacrifice,_

 _You won't try for me, not now._

 _Though I'd die to know you love me,_

 _I'm all alone._

 _Isn't someone missing me?"_

The pair stopped in front of a closed room that didn't seem to be locked. Natasha turned to Haru, who nodded at her. Both of them leaned on the door and pushed. The door opened, revealing a dusty chamber.

The chamber was large and, surprisingly, bright so Natasha turned off her flashlight and placed it in her bag. There was a large altar across the room and the only thing on it was a small black box that was filled with dust. Haru entered, looking up at the ceiling to see an image of children running around in a meadow. The odd thing about them was that some of them had tails, others had horns and others had wings.

Natasha looked around to see that the chamber was empty except for the altar. She frowned, "No offerings? Not even a place to place a torch? What kind of people built this temple, if not for worship?"

" _And if I bleed, I'll bleed,_

 _Knowing you don't care._

 _And if I sleep just to dream of you_

 _I'll wake without you there,_

 _Isn't something missing?"_

 _Isn't something..."_

The pair jumped and turned to see a small child sitting down on the floor in front of the altar. A child that had not been there. Haru paled, mouthing 'ghost' over and over again while Natasha cautiously walked towards the child.

The boy seemed to be around ten years old and had long black hair. His face was covered by his hands but they could hear him sobbing. He was wearing black robes with golden trimmings and there were silver chains wrapped around his small frame. Natasha crouched down next to him, "Are you lost, little boy?"

The boy stiffened and removed his hands from his face, revealing red eyes similar to Haru's but they were red-rimmed and shiny tears ran down his cheeks. When he saw Natasha, he scowled and growled at her, "Filthy mortal."

Natasha blinked and then the boy was gone. Haru, in meanwhile, was having a small panic attack, "We saw a ghost, we saw a ghost, we saw a ghost." As endearing as a scared Haru was, Natasha was annoyed by it.

"Stop being such a wuss," She replied and stood up straight, pushing a stray lock away from her face. She looked to the black box and started walking towards it, curious about its contents.

Haru stepped forward and felt something ominous in the air. He shivered, trying to think of a logical reason why they had seen the boy. Ghosts and spirits weren't real, were they?

Natasha opened the box and stared in wonder at the old top with the symbol of the deity Chaos. She took a picture of it with her camera before grabbing it, making sure to be careful with the old artifact, "Let's show this to Mr. Granger. I bet this must hold the soul of that little boy."

"Uh, bad idea." Haru replied, walking towards her to stop her, "That 'little boy' might not be friendly. Hell, aren't you a bit scared that he called you a 'filthy mortal'? Besides, don't you think there's a reason he's probably trapped here? After all, most horror flicks start like this. And I don't want to meet up with any evil spirits in this dig."

"Mizushima, I don't care about the apparition we saw or what the movies say about these events. What I care about is actually helping in this dig that Mr. Fernandez is supporting," Natasha replied, "You might not know this but not everything in this world can be gotten because of your parents. Not everyone has the luxury you do. You have to earn your way in this world and that is what I'm going to do."

"How the hell does this even relate to the ghost?" Haru asked in disbelief, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration, "Stop being so stubborn and listen! I don't think it's a good idea to take that thing outside. It might be dangerous!"

"Dangerous? It's a _top_ , Haru." Natasha said as she started walking out of the room, "A top is not a dangerous weapon, not like the ones _your_ family has been creating for decades."

"What do you have against my family?" Haru asked before grabbing the top from Natasha's hand. She glared daggers at him as he started heading back to place it in the altar, "And _this_ is going back to where it came from."

"Bloody Mizushima, give that back!" Natasha reached for the top and the two began fighting for control for the object. Unbeknownst to the two arguing teens, an ancient spirit was watching the events with mild amusement.

"Let go!"

"Fine!"

Haru released his hold on the object and Natasha fell back. She gasped in horror as the top met the ground and shattered, the loud crash echoing throughout the empty room. She grabbed a piece, her eyes wide in disbelief, "Look at what you've done! You broke it, you oaf! That was a delicate piece of the past and you broke it!"

"Who cares?" Haru reached down for her wrist and picked her up, "We are getting outta here and pretend we never saw this room and that none of this ever happened. If anyone asks where we were at, we were talking about our future son that will be named Rin."

"You are unbelievable!" Natasha yelled out as she was dragged out of the room, trying to wrestle out of Haru's grip, "And what kind of good boy name is 'Rin'?! That's a girl's name! Are you listening to me, Haru _bloody_ Mizushima?! I'm not naming our son 'Rin'!"

Haru smirked at her, " _Our_ son? I think I sense your love for me." He chuckled at Natasha's red face that was starting to match her hair, "Don't worry, you'll name our daughter."

"I hate you!"

If the two would've waited longer, they would've seen the 'child' appear in the room again. The chains that used to be wrapped around him were gone and he was surrounded by a dark, threatening aura. He had a maniacal grin on his face, his fangs sharp. His eyes glowed in the eerie darkness and he gave out a low chuckle.

"Finally." He said as he laughed again, "I'm free."

He stared at the door where he could still hear the arguing human girl with the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen and Haru Mizushima. His eyes glowed as he smirked, "Rin Mizushima, huh? That has a nice ring to it."

 _~~~MIAB~~~_

 _Bey City, Japan_

 _Present time_

Rin groaned once again, "Out of everything that they could've done in their youth, my parents released the dangerous and psychotic Chaos? Why couldn't they be normal parents like Susumu and Kana were with Kai?"

Aya shrugged, "Who cares. Nat and Haru were awesome parents."

"Releasing the leader of the Forsaken Fallen is awesome?" Ray questioned the blonde tamer of Dark Draciel. Most of the people in the room were still trying to process that Rin's parents had released Chaos in their youth.

Aya shrugged again, small smile appearing, "Dunno. The only thing wild my mom ever did in her youth was skip class and get in that food fight in Weston Academy. You know, boring stuff."

Kai smirked, trying to lighten the mood, "I can tell you that Natasha and Haru did wilder things than that in their youth. Those two getting in a food fight was the tamest thing they ever did."

"You seem to forget that your parents did the same things my parents did," Rin mumbled weakly, "Kana was the one that helped my mother sneak out of detention and Susumu was my father's partner in crime and sat down next to him in detention."

"Kai's dad was a troublemaker?" Daichi asked and grinned at them, "Man, your parents sound cooler than you."

Rin and Kai shot the redhead a glare, silencing him effectively. Rin sighed, "Not much we can do now, though. All we have to do is keep on going with this research. Not a lot of stuff happened after that discovery, other than the fact that Yoshie-san had a mild fainting spell at one point when she found a statue of a dragon."

"Statue of a dragon?" The twins asked and shared a glance.

"Do you think it was of Dark Dragoon?" Hilaryasked.

Rin shook his head in reply, "Definitely not. If it had been, she'd probably be dead, considering she's in the Granger family, a family that has had Dragoon's blessing for years. But I wonder."

"Hey, Hilary," Ray turned to the brunette, a question brewing inside his mind, "Do you think we can visit your grandmother? I don't think the team would talk about supernatural happenings to the news, after all. It would've helped if Bruce was here. He'd tell us."

"Wait," Aya narrowed her eyes, making her look intimidating (although Rin and Kai didn't seem impressed by it), "Bruce Granger is not in Japan right now?" At Ray's slow nod, she huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "Unbelievable! His youngest son is missing for Christ's sake! You would think that he'd come here and try to support his father and other son, not working in another dig!"

"Rai and Taishi haven't even noticed my absence." Riku whispered and Ray noticed that Rin, Aya, the twins and Nami visibly stiffened. Riku glanced at Ray's questioning eyes before replying, "Rai and Taishi Kuonji. The people society says are my parents. They are probably glad to have gotten rid of me. Rai always said I was a mistake and she regretted having me."

"Rai is stupid." Nami replied, surprising Daichi and Hiro because the usually calm and sweet girl looked angry. She clenched her fists, "Parents like Riku's have no excuse for not being around their children. Bruce Granger . . . He's afraid of coming back."

"Afraid?" Hilary asked, wanting the younger girl to elaborate.

Nami's eyes softened, "Bruce Granger was a doting parent on Hiro when he was really little but not with Tyson. I think it all started when Yoshie-san died. Tyson looks a lot like his mom so that's why he started distancing himself from him. Maybe he's scared that, this time, Tyson won't be found and he's too afraid to face this house or the fact that he hardly ever got to really know his youngest son."

"That's deep." Hilary stated and patted the girl's head, causing Nami to smile at her with the brightest smile she could muster. Hilary smiled back at her.

"Well, we certainly went off-topic." Hiro stated and was glad when Rin passed him some papers. He didn't want to sit around thinking about things of the past. Not now, when his little brother was probably being acquainted with the horrors of their childhood. He didn't want Tyson to go through those terrors again.

Rin squinted at a paper and then placed it in the ground and retrieving his glasses from their case. When he put them on, he noticed several of the room's occupants were staring athim. He glared, fixing his glasses before picking up the papers again, "What? Never seen someone with reading glasses before?"

"Is he always this grumpy?" Hilary asked Nami. She couldn't see why Aya was interested in the boy. He was grumpier than Kai and, so far, she couldn't see anything to like about the other boy other than his looks and she knew that wasn't the reason Aya was interested in the raven.

"He's just naturally defensive. It started when he was kidnapped by the Forsaken Fallen. He's jaded like this to hide his soft side." Nami whispered back to her.

"I see." Hilary muttered.

Nami smiled, "There are some qualities that make Rin-nii the perfect guy, Hilary-chan. He's intelligent, speaks and reads in many languages, sweet, brave, chivalrous, witty, charismatic, cunning-."

"You missed that he's rude, bossy, annoying, grouchy, scary and antisocial," Hikaru inputted while he, Shun and Kenny were talking with Dizzi.

"He's got a great smile, though!" Aya interjected.

"Please stop talking about me like I'm not in the room. And Nami, I don't appreciate that you're trying to get _another_ girl to go out with me. I still remember last year. I had to get a restraining order on her." Rin responded and Nami grinned widely.

"Are we talking about Yuno?" Aya gasped, eyes widening, "Nami, you got Stalker Yuno a date with Rin but you don't let him have a date with me? You are the worst little sister ever!"

Hilary chuckled softly at the interaction between them. They all acted as if they were brothers and sisters. She stopped smiling when she realized that maybe they did see each other as family because they had stood together in the worst of times, a time where they were afraid they'd never actually see their actual got even sadder when she remembered that some of them didn't have any siblings or parents to go back to when they had been kidnapped and probably saw all of the survivors as part of their family.

"Nami," Kai spoke up as he looked up from the papers he had somehow sneaked away from Rin. He had managed to interrupt the small battle Aya and Nami had, the older girl having the younger one in a headlock while Nami tried to get Aya to release her by scratching her arms.

Kai smirked, "If you want someone to go after Rin romantically, you have to include that he can't tie his shoelaces, can't tell time with a regular watch, is terrified of cats and talks in his sleep."

If anyone saw Rin's shoe hitting Kai in the head, no one decided to comment.

 _~~~MIAB~~~_

 _Madrid, Spain_

Raul was watching the news again, Julia noticed when she entered the living room. The female blader of F-Dynasty was wearing a large red shirt and black shorts that reached up to her knees. She had her hair up in a messy ponytail, having tied it up when she had decided to practice.

Raul had been watching the news every day since Tyson and Brooklyn disappeared. Julia didn't know why he was so interested in watching them, though. If anyone knew about Tyson and Brooklyn's whereabouts, it wouldn't be the media. The media didn't know a lot about their private lives.

"Raul." Julia called out to her brother, "You're worrying too much. They're going to be fine." It was like talking to the damn wall. Raul didn't even acknowledge that she was there. She sighed, sitting down on the couch. This is how Raul had been acting lately. All he did was eat, shower and watch the news. She doubted her brother had been sleeping, judging by the bags under his eyes and the fact that he was constantly drinking coffee.

The last time Raul had fallen asleep was a week after the kidnappings. Since then, he hadn't slept. What had spooked him? Julia wanted to know and was a little sad that her twin wouldn't share the information with her.

"Raul . . . talk to me . . ." She muttered weakly, eyes soft. No answer. Why did she keep expecting him to start talking to her again? Why did she keep on hoping that her brother would go back to his usual, happy self?

" _. . . hasn't spoken a word. . ."_

" _. . . it was the trauma, no doubt . . ."_

" _. . . those poor things . . ."_

Julia frowned. Where had those voices come from? She didn't ever hear voices in her head. They sounded familiar but she didn't recognize who the voices belonged to. What had caused those voices to appear in her mind?

While Julia was pondering this, Raul stared dead-ahead at the reporter that wastalking about the weather but his mind was elsewhere. He hadn't even heard his sister calling to him, wondering what was wrong with him. To be honest, Raul wasn't sure exactly what was wrong with him other than the fact that he was scared of the nightmares that might come if he fell asleep.

A week ago, Raul had fallen asleep and had woken up screaming, the nightmare nagging on the back of his head. He was scared to sleep again, considering that he had woken up with a handprint on his arm where the person of his nightmare had grabbed him.

In his nightmare, he had seen Tyson, Brooklyn and another girl – the missing girl Kaori – under the roots of a gigantic black tree that had towered over him. The roots had been dragging themtowards the inside of the tree and Raul was horrified and haunted by their screams of pain as they cried for help.

The branches of the tree were filled with sharp spines that wrapped around the bodies of other kids that Raul recognized but didn't know the names to. The only ones he identified were Hiro and his sister. All of them had been sleeping as their blood dripped down to feed the sinister tree.

Lastly, there had been a boy that looked like Tyson but with piercing red eyes and unnaturally pale skin sitting down in a throne of thorns, wearing black robes with golden trimmings and a crown of thorns rested on top of his head.

The boy – _Chaos_ – had greeted him and proceeded to tell Raul that the destruction of the world was happening and that he had been chosen to be one of the ones who brought forth the darkness. The dream had ended when Raul had felt someone grabbing his arm, the pain of the hard grip waking him up.

Since then, Raul had refused to sleep. Of course, that didn't stop the hallucinations from plaguing his mind. He could be sitting down watching television when he would randomly see Chaos standing on the corner of the room. He knew Julia couldn't see the same things he did, as she had once walked through one of the mirages.

Raul looked at Julia from the corner of his eye. His sister was not paying attention to the news – neither was he but Julia probably thought he was – and was inspecting her beyblade, as if looking for cracks or any other damage to the new HMS blade that Kenny had given to her about three weeks ago.

That's all she had been doing since the kidnappings, Raul noted. He had no idea why his sister was so determined to keep on training when there was a possibility that the sport would be banned. Then again, there was a chance that Beyblade would not be banned and it seemed that Julia was determined not to be rusty when the next tournament comes around.

"Raul, talk to me." Julia spoke again, her eyes soft, "Why won't you tell me what's wrong with you?"

 _Would you believe me if I told you that I'm acting this strange because of a nightmare that I had that might not even be real?_ Raul asked in his mind, not daring to speak out loud. It was crazy. Why would he get so paranoid over a meaningless nightmare? Then again . . .

The doorbell of their apartment rang. Julia stood up, "We have guests coming over? Honestly, Romero should tell us about these kinds of things before he leaves to go out shopping."

Raul froze when he saw small tendrils of something black appear in the apartment. One of them wrapped itself around Julia's neck but she didn't seem to notice or feel it. She smiled as she started heading towards the door, "I got it, don't worry, Raul."

"Julia, no!" Raul yelled just as his sister opened the door.

Julia frowned at the girl standing in front of the doorway. Thegirl had strawberry-blonde hair with stunning light blue eyes and pale skin. She was wearing a light green dress, a silver circlet and, around her neck, was a heart-shaped crystal. She had never seen the girl before but . . . why did she look so familiar?

" **Hello Julia."** The girl spoke and Julia flinched. It had sounded like eleven people were talking at the same time. Not only that but the smile on the girl's face was creepy.

"Do I know you?" Julia asked, gripping her beyblade tighter. She failed to notice that the girl had seen it and had frowned. She had also seemed to not notice that the black tendrils that only Raul could see were surrounding her.

"Julia, close the door!" Raul yelled.

Julia turned around to face him and Raul's eyes widened when the girl smirked. She raised her hand and, before Raul could warn his sister, the tendrils tightened around Julia. The pained scream coming from his sister would forever haunt Raul's memories, especially because, upon hearing his sister scream this way, memories that Raul never knew he had surfaced.

"The Forsaken Fallen!" He yelled, holding his head as all the memories came back.

His yell finally attracted the attention of Ann, who turned to face him. She smiled, still holding tightly to the tendrils that were wrapped around Julia's body, **"Raul, it's been so long. You don't look like that little boy that told us he was scared of the dark. No, you've changed, just like the others."**

"I've grown up," Raul replied, narrowing his eyes, as he felt for his blade that was inside his pocket, "I'm not scared of the dark anymore."

" **Bold words, my little tamer,"** She replied and Raul knew it had been _him_ who had spoken, **"but no one should fear the darkness. It's what is** _ **in**_ **the darkness that you must fear."**

"R-R-Raul . . ." Julia choked out as the wisp tightened against her throat. She gasped out for breath and was trying to reach for the blade that she had put in her pocket.

" **Bad girl."** Ann said when she noticed what Julia had been reaching for. The wisp that was wrapped around Julia's wrist started twisting her arm in a position that an arm should never bend towards. Julia screamed again in pain. If it continued to twist this way, her arm might break. _Why is this girl doing this? Why is she doing this? Why isn't anyone coming to our rescue?_

"Stop it! You can't do this to us again!" Raul yelled as he loaded his blade into his launcher and pointed it at the members of the Forsaken Fallen that were inside the body of – _little Ann that had given him food once_ – Ann.

Ann smirked, **"Are you seriously pointing that** _ **toy**_ **in our direction, Raul? Unlike your sister, you have your memories back. You know that your bit-beast cannot possibly defeat us."**

"Don't underestimate me." Raul replied.

" **Fool."** Ann said and raised her other hand. A powerful gust of wind blew in Raul's direction and he grunted in pain but held his ground. His big sister needed him this time. He was not going to lose.

" _Hello, kiddo. Do you want to play a game?"_

" _Raul!"_

Raul flinched at the sudden memory, the red eyes of Chaos appearing in his mind. This was not the moment to get lost in a memory, though. Taking the opportunity, Ann's eyes became bright red, a sign that Dark Dranzer had taken control.

" **Dark Flame Spiral!"**

Fire came out of Ann/Dark Dranzer's palm and surrounded Raul. Raul yelled as the flames began to envelop his whole body. He heard Julia screaming his name but he could've imagined it. He must have also imagined the pained whinny coming from Torch Pegasus.

The attack finished and Julia saw her brother fall to his knees, panting hard. He looked like a wreck, burns covering his arms. However, he was still glaring defiantly at Ann, who looked impressed by the fact that he was still conscious. **"How are you still . . .?"**

Raul stood up, his knees trembling but he still managed to shoot the Forsaken Fallen a smirk, "Torch Pegasus protected me from the worst of the attack. Of course, it wasn't that strong to begin with." He wasn't going to mention that his HMS beyblade was practically burning up due to the attack and there was a possibility that it had been destroyed.

"Raul, get out-." Julia cried out before the coils wrapped around her neck tightened. After what seemed like a minute or two, her eyelids fluttered close, her body going limp.

"Julia . . ." Raul whispered.

" **Raul, enough of these games."** Ann said, the voices sounding angry – only one sounded amused and Raul had a feeling that it was Dark Dragoon – and annoyed, **"Let's go. Chaos, Tyson, Kaori and Brooklyn are waiting."**

"You want me to go with you?" Raul asked, taking a few step backs. The Forsaken Fallen members that were possessing Ann made her take a step forward. Raul scoffed and shot them a smirk, "Try taking me alive, then."

He launched his blade and, while they were distracted trying not to get hit by the blade, ran towards the exit that the dark spirits weren't guarding. He braced himself, placing his hands in front of him, and launched himself out the window, the glass shattering and some of it scratched his arms, face and legs but he didn't cry out.

 _It was easier to do this in the movies_ , Raul thought as he fell out the window of the third floor. He closed his eyes, waiting for the moment he met the concrete and bracing himself for that moment.

 _I'd rather die than let the Forsaken Fallen use me again._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: *collapses* How was that?**

 **Tyson: Raul and Julia sure had a fast-paced entrance.**

 **Brooklyn: Where are we?**

 **Kaori: The plot's picking up after this, I hope? This felt more like a filler.**

 **Anime: I'm insulted. I did my hardest to make it look good for Ann.**

 **Aya: Again, happy birthday, Ann-sama! :D**

 **Anime: Not a lot to say about this. Next chapter will be up soon. *snickers***

 **Rin: A-whole-month soon? Or a-two-week soon?**

 **Anime: Soon.**

 **Nami: Next chapter will feature everyone's favorite lone wolf: Kai Hiwatari!**

 **Hikaru: Let the-.**

 **Shun: -Torture begin.**

 **Riku: As long as the next chapter is more interesting, I'm fine.**

 **Anime: Stop insulting my work, you guys! I worked hard on it!**

 **Tala: Until then . . .**

 **All: See ya soon!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Members of the dig that found Chaos were** Bruce Granger, Yoshie Granger, Haru Mizushima, Natasha Borkov, Hiromi Hirano, Kazuya Orikasa, Elva Giese, Arya Agrawal and Santiago Iglesias. **The one sponsoring the excavation was** Roberto Fernandez.

 **Chaos's Song: Missing by Evanescence**

 **Rin's inabilities: I can't tell time on a regular clock either. And I learned how to tie my shoes in the fifth grade. His fear of cats are thanks to Kai (an accident that will be talked about in another time) and Dark Dranzer (who was scared of Dark Driger and Driger after a prank and those fears of felines transferred to Rin).**

 **Chapter 6: Reminded**

 **Song: Reminded by Drowning Pool**


	7. Chapter 6: Reminded

**Anime: Told ya I'd be back soon. *maniacal laugh***

 **All: . . .**

 **Anime: Hm? What? Did I do something wrong?**

 **Rin: We can't really say much, can we? No insults for you today.**

 **Tyson: It is your birthday, after all.**

 **Anime: Yup! It's is September 24 (in my time zone): my birthday! I'm as old as Kai, Rin and Ray now! Tada!**

 **Chaos: Yes, yes, get on with this really short chapter. No sense in keeping them all waiting.**

 **Night: Anime doesn't own. Enjoy this short chapter if you can. Tell us if Anime messed up in anything. Thanks for enjoying it so far.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **6: Reminded**

The scene was familiar to Kai. Ahead of him lay a forest. It was a majestic sight with large trees that seemed to reach the skies. The sky was a clear blue and the clouds hid most of the sun from sight. He was running, pulling a small four year old behind him. He knew that it was Rin.

Kai giggled excitedly, dragging the Rin behind him. The small little boy was looking around, his big blue eyes showing a small sign of fear, "Kai, what happens if my Mom and Dad find out that we sneaked away? They're going to get angry with us."

Kai grinned back at his friend, who was staring at the large forest with wide eyes filled with fear, nervousness and excitement, "Don't worry! Dad once took me to this forest so there's nothing bad there. It's where I met Dranzer, remember? And Dranzer will keep us safe."

Just as they neared the edge of the forest, Rin stopped. Kai released his hand, raising his eyebrow at him. Rin fidgeted with his sky blue shirt, looking down at his feet like a kid that had been chastised, "Kai . . . what happens if there's a monster in there?" He trembled, looking up to stare at the large forest.

Kai huffed, crossing his arms across his chest the way he had seen his dad do before, "Where's your sense of adventure, Rin? I know this is your first time out of your house but you should have more backbone!"

Rin looked away for a long moment before turning to look at the forest again, still looking a bit terrified. Kai could've sworn that he had whimpered, too. He reached for Kai's hand, his head lowered. Kai took it to give him some reassurance.

"Okay," Rin mumbled, refusing to look at the forest but managing to look Kai in the eye, "but don't let the monsters get me, Kai." As tough as he was in other situations, Rin was still just four years old. When you're around that age, you're still scared over the monsters living under your bed.

Kai nodded, squeezing his friend's hand and grinned at the obviously scared boy, "I promise I won't let the monsters get you, you big chicken."

Rin pouted but squeezed Kai's hand tighter, "I'm not a chicken."

Kai laughed and the two continued to walk further into the forest. Rin looked around, his eyes wide in awe as he tried to take in the scenery. It was the first time he had ventured out to the outside after all. "It's so odd," Rin muttered after a while, turning his head in all directions to take everything in, "I've never seen a place like this."

"I know! That's why I wanted you to come here. So you can see." Kai responded and turned around to face Rin.

But he wasn't there.

Kai's eyes widened in fear. He had just been there a couple of minutes ago. No, he had been there seconds ago. "Rin? Rin?!" Kai yelled. He began to run through the forest, searching for his friend. He didn't seem to have noticed that he didn't look four anymore and was back to looking like his usual self. After a while, Kai stopped to catch his breath, his eyes still trying to catch a glimpse of Rin in this large forest.

The sound of a girl giggling caught his attention as he regained his breath. Kai turned to look to the direction where the giggling had come from and was able to see familiar blonde hair running through the forest. He frowned, walking towards that direction, "Aya?"

"The spirit of these woods calls you, tamer of the crimson phoenix." A voice – Kai thought it sounded like a female's – whispered in the wind, causing the leaves on the ground to move in the direction Aya had been running towards. More child-like giggles were heard and Kai turned to see twin boys running in the same direction Aya had gone to. He had a feeling those boys had been Hikaru and Shun.

A small body bumped into him – a small 'oof' escaping the child's lips – and Kai looked down to see Tyson as a child. He frowned, taking in the appearance of his long-time rival. He looked like he did as a teen except his eyes were bigger and he was dressed in black robes with golden trimmings. On his head – where his cap should be – rested a black crown of thorns.

"Let's go, tamer of the crimson phoenix! Let's go!" Tyson said as he got to his feeling, pulling on Kai's scarf, dragging him towards the direction the twins and Aya had run to, "You'll be late!"

"Late for what?" Kai questioned as he allowed mini-Tyson to drag him. The little boy didn't answer, continuing to walk faster and chatting about 'we can't be late'. Kai looked around and noticed several kids were running in the same direction as they were. This was getting a little creepy.

Tyson let Kai go and ran ahead, giggling. He caught up to two kids – a little girl with brown hair and a little boy with light brown hair that was almost blonde that looked a lot like Riku – and the trio ran, holding hands. Not wanting to lose them, Kai ran after them. He had no idea why they were faster than him, though. It was eerie that they giggled occasionally and hummed a chilling tune.

After a while, Kai finally stopped in a clearing, panting for breath. He looked around and paused upon seeing Rin sprawled out in the ground, a boy with brown hair and brown eyes sprawled out next to him. Rin had his eyes closed while _he_ had his eyes open, his glassy eyes staring into the distance. Kai froze at the sight, his eyes widening in horror. He recognized that boy. . .

 _No._

 _It can't be . . ._

"Welcome, tamer of the crimson-phoenix." A voice spoke and Kai looked up to see Tyson sitting on top of a tree branch, smirking diabolically at him, as if he was relishing Kai's reaction. No, that wasn't Tyson. This male looked different than his rival. The Tyson-look-alike was dark and sinister, nothing like the happy-go-lucky champion he had come to know.

"Who are you?" Kai questioned, instantly on guard, and the stranger floated down to the ground gracefully. He was standing really close to Rin and _him_ , staring at Kai with crimson-red eyes that seemed lighter in hue than his own but deadlier. Oddly, it reminded him a little of Haru.

"I am the bringer of destruction, leader of the Forsaken Fallen. I am Chaos." He replied as he crouched down, moving Rin's bangs out of his face. He looked up and smirked at Kai, showing sharp fangs that were definitely dangerous and would draw blood, "Welcome to the dimension between reality and dreams, Kai Hiwatari. I've been expecting you."

"Expecting me?" Kai asked as Chaos stood up straight, walking towards the tree. He stared at it for a moment before turning his sharp gaze towards Kai. His eyes looked ancient, as if he had seen everything, but he looked so tired, as if he was tired of seeing everything. Kai had no idea why that popped out in his head. Besides, Chaos was his enemy. He shouldn't sympathize with the enemy. That was something Voltaire had told him.

"Of course. I produced this dream of yours to meet with you. You, the tamer of the traitor Dranzer, the opposite of Yami-Suzaku and my sworn enemy." Chaos responded, his voice cold and harsh. It was similar to Rin's business tone but it seemed odd to hear it, considering Chaos sounded exactly like Tyson.

Kai didn't miss the bitter tone Chaos had used when he practically spat out Dranzer's name as if it was something disgusting. Yet, why had his eyes softened for a brief second when he had said 'Dranzer'? _You're imagining things, Hiwatari,_ he mentally berated himself, _now focus._ However, focusing made him acknowledge that _he_ was there.

"Stop that then," Kai said, looking down at the bodies sprawled on the ground between them. He tried and failed to ignore the blood coming out from Rin's wrists – _"You should've let me die!"_ – and the vacant gaze in _his_ eyes, "Stop showing me . . . that."

Chaos glanced down at Rin, not caring about the second body, "Many decisions caused him to do that, Kai. He was afraid of being alone. Afraid that he'd fall to the darkness. He was sick of this world. He was tired. He wanted things to end. However, you're the reason that caused him to fall off the edge."

"Shut up." Kai replied, shaking his head. That wasn't true. He didn't have anything to do with Rin's attempted suicide. He didn't . . . right? Rin never blamed him about it like he usually would so that couldn't be the case. He wished that was the case. He didn't want to have another reason to hate himself, to feel as if he was evil.

Chaos chuckled, revealing his sharp fangs again, "Don't be a fool by trying to blind yourself from the truth, Kai. You're the reason that he suffered more than he had to when he was in our care. His loyalty to you is what caused him to suffer as he did. His _devotion_ to you is the reason why he bears so many scars."

"That's not true."

"During his torture sessions – I will admit that we tortured him and the others – he would cry out for you to help him. That you'd promise to keep the monsters away," Chaos seemed to enjoy the tormented look on Kai's face as he continued, "But we both know that you failed. You failed to keep the monsters away ten years ago and you'll fail again now. It wouldn't be the first time you failed someone, after all. You should grow used to it."

Kai shook his head, briefly registering that several kids were hiding behind the trees, staring at them with detached expressions. He thought he saw Aya among the children, standing next to the twins and Nami, but he wasn't sure. Not to mention he saw the trio – Tyson, the little girl and Riku – hiding next to an eleven year old that looked a lot like Hiro.

"No good comes from believing in you. Rin and Wyatt learned that the hard way and Tyson will come to realize that as well."

"Stay away from Tyson!" Kai yelled. He wasn't going to let this person get into his head and mess with him. He couldn't let Chaos's words get into his head.

Chaos laughed, his eyes glinting with madness and something that looked like pain, "You can't do anything about it, Kai Hiwatari. Tyson will succumb to the darkness. When that happens, you and the other tamers will feel the same anguish we felt for centuries when your beasts betrayed us. When they're the ones trapped alone in their prisons, they will remember us and what they made us suffer."

"All of this is for some petty revenge?" Kai sneered, "How pathetic."

Chaos glared at him and Kai became quiet quickly, "Pathetic? Petty revenge? Oh, dear, Kai . . . you have no idea how far you are from the mark. You'll suffer what I did when the time comes."

Chaos laughed and vanished, the forest doing the same. Kai was now alone in a dark place, several mirrors littering the area where he was at. The floor was filled with water but it barely made it up to Kai's ankles.

"Where . . .?"

"You abandoned me when I needed you the most." Kai turned to see a six year old Rin – dressed in a hospital gown – glaring up at him, "You promised to keep the monsters away. You failed to do that. You broke your promise."

"You let me die." Wyatt's voice came from behind Kai, "I was so dedicated to you but you brushed me off as if I was nothing. Was I not good enough for your attention? Why was I worth your attention after I was dead?"

"You're nothing." Brooklyn said as he appeared next to Wyatt, smiling that gentle smile that Kai hated so much, "You know that you'll always be inferior. You're not good enough, Kai. You being number one? Give me a break. You'll always be second best."

"Are you used to playing the traitor?" Tyson asked, materializing next to Rin, "We all get sick and tired of it. Where do Kai's loyalties lie? Will he betray us? Is he leaving the team? I hate wondering that, you know. Why do you enjoy hurting us by betraying us?"

Kai covered his ears, trying to ignore the slight tremble that shook his body, "Stop it. Stop it, Chaos." Why was he doing this? What was the point of messing with his mind this way? There was no use. What was Chaos gaining by tormenting him?

"What kind of a friend are you?" Ray asked, "You leave and expect us to take you back with open arms? You willingly join someone, abandoning us, for the sake of power."

"We all know you want power because you're powerless." Max stated, "You're so weak that it makes us sick. How long do you think we're supposed to carry you around? You weigh us down."

"Shut up, shut up!" Kai yelled, trying to ignore the accusations that they were throwing at him. He hated that he couldn't defend himself. He hated that their accusations were things that plagued his mind. Was he too weak? Was he a bad friend? Was he nothing?

" _Kai!"_

He felt someone wrap their arms around his torso and the voices stopped. He saw black hair and black robes and, for a moment, he could only think of Chaos. But when he was greeted by soft white eyes instead of piercing red eyes, he knew that this person wasn't Chaos.

" _It does no good to dwell on dreams, Kai. Never forget the past but do not get lost in all your regrets and fears. They will only drag you down."_ The boy said, smiling softly, _"Dispel the fears of your heart, Kai. They should not rule your mind. Your fears are common but do not think so badly of yourself."_

"Who are . . .?"

" _I am the friend of someone who cares about you a lot."_ He replied and Kai noticed the boy was glowing a little – he had a white aura surrounding him – and there were silver chains wrapped around his wrists, _"Because he cares about you and I care for him, that means that I care for you, Kai."_ Just as Kai was about to ask him what he meant by that, the boy grabbed his arm, _"Let us depart. Reality may not be as endearing as dreams are but that is where you belong."_

"Who are you?"

" _My name is . . ."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Hide-Out, Unknown Area_

"Night." Chaos muttered, ignoring the questioning stare Tyson gave him. The two were alone in a room, their two chairs facing towards each other but there was a five foot distance between the two. Not to mention that Tyson was tied down to the chair at the moment.

Night. Chaos's beloved younger brother. Tyson's mind supplied. After their recent torture, Kaori had somehow remembered her memories of the first time she had been captured by the Forsaken Fallen. The poor girl had collapsed from her wounds and the headache she had received after awakening her lost memories. As she had been regaining her memories, she had talked about Fuyu, her big brothers Rin and Hiro and then spouted random facts of the Forsaken Fallen.

Because Kaori remembered, Chaos was determined to wake up Tyson's own memories. They had been suppressed on purpose, rather than suppressed naturally like Kaori's so it would take time to awaken them.

Unfortunately for Tyson, Chaos had time.

Before he had done anything, though, Chaos had sat down in his chair and closed his eyes, as if he was going to sleep. After a long while, he had done nothing. So Tyson wondered why the first thing that came out of his mouth was "Night".

Chaos placed a hand on his chest, making sure that the bit-chip that contained him was still there. As he lowered his hand, Tyson knew he wasn't hallucinating when he saw a chain of flowers wrapped around his wrist. Tyson was just confused over that. The one who was bringing the destruction wore a _flower_ bracelet. He didn't know whether to laugh at that or not.

Chaos narrowed his eyes in question. Why did the aura of his beloved brother appear in the realm between reality and dreams? Why had he gone in to help the obviously tormented tamer of Dranzer – Hikari-Suzaku, a part of him said – Kai Hiwatari? Why was Night in the opposite side?

" _Taking sides?" Night shook his head, "Dear Chaos, I will not choose who to side with: you or my twin Erebus. You are both wrong in my mind. Your fight should not cause you to do this."_

" _Then why are you here?" Chaos spat out the words angrily, clutching the cursed dagger in his hand tightly._

 _Night smiled, "To see who is on the side of justice. If I see that, I will know who to side with."_

"The side of justice, Night? Are they more just than us?" Tyson could've sworn that Chaos looked saddened by that prospect, his eyes softening, "Will you side with them? Will you fight against me, the way they did?"

" _I fight on the side of justice."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Bey City, Japan_

Kai woke up and noticed the door to the dojo was slightly open. He sat up, looking around. Ray were asleep neatly on the futons while Daichi was sprawled rather comically on it, practically snoring. Hilary, Kenny and Kurumada had gone home to sleep, Hiro and Grandpa Granger were sleeping in their rooms – Grandpa sharing his bed with a still-comatose Max – and their other guests were sleeping in the dojo as well.

Aya was asleep in a corner, curled up in a fetal position. She was clutching her pillow and drool seemed to come out from the corner of her mouth. Nami – minus her trademark twin ponytails that she had taken off for bed – was asleep next to her, sleeping soundly without a sound. The twins were both hugging each other, Hikaru's chin on top of Shun's in a protective stance while Shun was clutching Hikaru's clothes tightly as if afraid that he was going to disappear. Riku was sleeping normally in the futon as well. As for Rin-.

Ah, so he's the one outside.

Kai quietly got out of bed and slid the door to the dojo open. As expected, Rin was outside, staring at the moon. He was muttering something under his breath and Kai wondered what he was saying. He stopped muttering upon hearing Kai's footsteps and turned, "Kai? You should go to bed."

"I should say the same to you, Rin. If you don't get a proper night's sleep, the shadows under your eyes will look like L's or Gaara's."

Rin raised an eyebrow, not looking amused, "Didn't know you'd be making _Death Note_ and _Naruto_ references to me about my appearance."

"Didn't know you'd catch them."

"Touché."

Silence. Rin sighed, "Don't let him get to you. That's what he wants." At Kai's questioning glance, Rin elaborated, "It's obvious that he trapped you in a nightmare. It's his favorite method of torture. Why do you think I don't like to sleep?"

"What about the others?" Kai asked, looking back to see the sleeping forms of all the teens, "Won't Chaos invade their dreams?"

Rin sighed again, "To be honest, I don't know. I don't like taking the risk of falling to the realm of dreams and being plagued by my memories or Chaos's nightmares. Although, I'm surprised you didn't scream when you woke up like we usually do. Did Chaos let you go easily?"

Kai was silent, remembering the voices of everyone he cared for (and Brooklyn) telling him about his regrets and fears. Of course, he could only remember the boy that had taken him out of that nightmare now. A boy whose name he still hadn't figured out.

"I was trapped in a nightmare . . . then someone pulled me out of it." Kai responded.

"Pulled you out?" Rin asked, tilting his head to the side in question, "Well then, who was it? How did your savior look like? Female or male?"

"Male, with black hair and kind pale-white eyes and was wearing robes similar to Chaos's. He was glowing with a white radiance that reminded me a little of moonlight. I didn't get his name."

"Moonlight aura?" Rin questioned and Kai saw that some recognition passed through his eyes. He frowned, staring at the moon as if questioning it, "No . . . it can't be him, can it?"

"Him?"

Rin shook his head, "Never mind. There was no way he helped you."

"Who is he?"

Rin turned back to look at him, "The only person that would fit that description is Chaos's beloved brother Night. A moonlight-radiant aura is the way I remember Chaos talking about him."

Kai crossed his arms in front of his chest, "It wasn't Night, huh? Then the question remains: who pulled me out of the nightmare and why?" Why did he think otherwise, though? Why was he so certain Night had helped him? Even if the dark bit-beast/holy beast did help him, what were his intentions?

 _Why would Night help me?_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Shortest chapter of MIAB so far but it's setting up for something big. *hint, hint* Don't overlook any detail. From Chaos's actions to the small flashback to the flower bracelet, all that will be explained later.**

 **Tyson: Not much to do at the moment, huh?**

 **Max: We don't know when the next chapter will be updated.**

 **Ray: School often comes first from Anime. *screams of despair from Anime***

 **Kai: Not a lot happened here except for my nightmare, Night's appearance, a little of Chaos and Tyson and an interaction between myself and Rin.**

 **Hilary: He's right that not a lot of things happened.**

 **Anime: Leave me alone guys.**

 **All: Fine, we will.**

 **Brooklyn: Send reviews our way.**

 **Night: They fuel Anime's writing spirit.**

 **Anime: Yeah they do! :D**

 **Tala: We're not going to keep you all away from the review button anymore.**

 **All: See you in the next chapter!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Chapter 7: Hero**

 **Song: Hero by Skillet**


	8. Chapter 7: Hero

**Anime: If anyone lives in my time zone, today is 10-30-15. So, happy early Halloween (if you celebrate it, that is). Besides being "Update day", it is the birthday of one of my OCs: Dark Driger's tamer Riku Kuonji!**

 **All: Happy birthday, Riku!**

 **Riku: Thank you all.**

 **Tyson: Thank you to Miley, KinomiyaHiwatari and Little. A. Granger for reviewing chapters 6 and 7! This took a little longer to upload because someone *stares judgmentally at Anime* hit a dead end during her writing.**

 **Anime: Hehe . . . I write my stories organically. In other words, I don't plan things out and so I write things as I go. It's both good and bad. Don't try it at home, kiddies. Ha. . . Yeah, it mostly sucks because it means more frequent bouts of writer's block.**

 **Kai: Moving on from her inner angst. In this chapter, we see more of the past (specifically Chaos's), we see how Kaori and Tyson are fairing and Max finally wakes up.**

 **Max: Read on to see what's happening in this installment of MIAB!**

 **Ray: Anime doesn't own Beyblade. Be thankful for that.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **7: Hero**

Tyson woke in the middle of a meadow he didn't recognize, sitting down next to a girl he didn't even know but, apparently, knew him. He looked around, seeing that the two of them were sitting down in the middle of a patch filled with white roses, white lilies, white asters and several other white flowers. The wind blew gently so some of the petals of the flowers flew in the sky and Tyson could see a lake nearby. This place was so surreal. Now, he knew he was dreaming. It had to be a dream, after all. That's why the girl kept calling him "Chaos".

The girl seemed to be around fourteen years old and had long light purple hair that moved in the direction of the wind. Her sky blue eyes shone with innocence and joy, as if she didn't have a care in the world. She had a soft smile on her face and she was fair-skinned. Her limbs looked soft and dainty, as if she had never worked a day in her life, which Tyson found a little odd, as he had gathered he was in the ancient past in this dream. She was wearing a long-sleeved white dress and in her hands rested a flower crown made out of the white roses.

 _Where am I?_

The girl gave out a triumphant 'ah-ha', "I solved your riddle, Chaos-san!"

"Oh, did you, Sasha?" Tyson heard himself say and he didn't know why he felt so damn happy at the girl's – _Sasha_ , a part of his mind supplied – happiness, "Then what is the solution to my puzzle?"

"It wears a dark cloak that is littered with shining spots when it appears. It always removes this disguise when dawn approaches and hides until it eventually reappears, only to repeat the cycle again." Sasha grinned, "I should have known that the answer was night, considering how much you love your brother."

Tyson heard himself – _Chaos?_ – laugh good-naturedly before replying with a voice filled with mirth, "Well, it is fine if you are slow, Sasha. Mortals are not as quick as holy beasts are, I am afraid."

Sasha pouted and Tyson chuckled again, "Chaos-san, we were just getting along smoothly without you making fun of me. Why did you have to ruin it? No wonder Dragoon-sama says that you need to have more human interaction."

"Well, I am having more human interaction. I am with you, right? I am not spending my days with Night or Erebus as frequently as I used to. I am finding myself spending more time in your presence."

Sasha giggled before putting the flower crown on, "I am the future high priestess of your shrines, Chaos-san. You and the other holy beasts will spend long intervals of time in my presence instead of with the other villagers."

Tyson – _or was it Chaos?_ – laughed before he leaned on Sasha's shoulder, "Yes, I suppose that is true, Sasha. Do you think you will enjoy being in our presence for the rest of your mortal life?"

Sasha shrugged Tyson/Chaos of her shoulder before she giggled, "Do not be silly, Chaos-san. Of course I will enjoy your company. Your brothers and sisters are wonderful holy beasts. Although . . . I believe Erebus-sama hates me."

Tyson/Chaos blinked, "Erebus? Why would you think that my younger brother hates you?" _Erebus?_ Tyson wondered. That wasn't a member of the Forsaken Fallen, if he remembered correctly. _Then who was Erebus?_

Sasha sighed and a forlorn look appeared in her eyes. Tyson felt himself wanting to remove that sad look off the usually happy girl's face and replace it with the smile that he loved to see her wear. He mentally frowned at that thought. _Did that thought belong to me or to Chaos?_

"Well . . . he always glares at me whenever Daisuke-kun and I go to your shrine and he always stares at me as if he wants to kill me whenever I am speaking to you. Did I do anything to inquire his wrath?" Sasha asked as she laid down on the beautiful terrain with a sigh.

Tyson/Chaos laid down next to her and the two were silent, staring at the blue sky that was filled with the several petals of the flowers. Finally, he – Chaos – spoke, "No, I am sure my brother does not hate you. He must still cling to the old hostility we had of humans. Erebus still has not had proper contact with a mortal before. I used to have that same hostility myself, Sasha."

"That makes sense," Sasha said before she smiled happily and Tyson felt himself touching the flower bracelet he had in his wrist. He recognized that bracelet: it was the one that he had seen Chaos wearing. Why did he still have the flower bracelet this human had given to him when he obviously hated humans?

"I am so senseless," Sasha laughed and Tyson stopped looking at the flower bracelet to look at her, "Why would he even hate me, of all people? Ha, you are right, Chaos-san. Erebus-sama does not hate me."

Tyson/Chaos smiled back at her and grabbed her hand and he didn't miss the slight dusting of pink that appeared on Sasha's face with that action. Judging by the warmth in his own cheeks, Tyson inferred that Chaos was blushing too. _Wait, did that mean that Chaos . . . ?_

"C-Chaos-san?" Sasha asked timidly, her eyes shining with many emotions. _Joy. Hope. Love. Acceptance. Warmth. Love._ Did Sasha share the same feelings Chaos had for her? Yes, she did. Tyson could feel that she did. Then what had happened to her? If Chaos loved her, why did he swear to destroy humanity?

"Sasha. . . will you stay with me?" Tyson heard himself – _Chaos_ – asking her in a soft voice that he would've never expected Chaos to use. Sasha's eyes widened and then she smiled, her eyes softening, and squeezed his hand.

"I will stay with you until the end of my days."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Tyson? Wake up, will you?" A voice broke into Tyson's muddled head and he opened his eyes, meeting the bicolored eyes of Kaori. He groaned and rubbed his eyes as Kaori sighed, "Good, you finally woke up. Gosh, you had me going there, Ty. I was afraid that you were gone."

Tyson sat up and took in the place they were in. It was a bare room colored dark grey. Like the other rooms in this place, there were no windows so Tyson didn't know if it was day or night. Time was hard here, Tyson thought to himself.

"Where's Brooklyn?" Tyson asked as he turned to Kaori and jumped when he got a good look at her, his eyes widening, "Kaori, what happened to you?"

The brunette smiled and Tyson noticed she had winced when she spoke, "Don't worry. It stopped hurting already." The fifteen year old had a split lip and blood was flowing slowly out of her nose. Her long hair had been hacked off so it barely covered her ears and she was holding her left arm. She was bleeding from the corner of her mouth and from the side of her head. In other words, she was a bloody mess.

"How long are we supposed to take this?" Tyson asked and Kaori stared at him with sad eyes. Tyson hated how lost and sad she looked now, compared to the fiery, rebellious eyes he had seen the day they met Chaos. Ever since she had regained her lost memories, Kaori had been like this and Tyson hated it. Kaori had turned into a shell of her former self and Tyson wanted the old Kaori back.

"They took Brooklyn."

"Where?"

Kaori shook her head, her head lowered as if in defeat, "I don't know. But I don't think it's going to be pretty for him. Also, I heard them talking about having Julia in here-."

"They have Julia?" Tyson whispered anxiously and Kaori raised her head slowly and nodded at him, her eyes still hollow and sad. _Dead eyes . . ._ Tyson continued, "What about Raul? What happened to him? Is he okay? Did Chaos and the others get him?"

"They didn't mention Raul." Kaori replied and sighed, looking around, "They haven't mentioned the others, either. They say they're in the Granger dojo."

"How do they know where they are at?" Tyson muttered as he laid down again, his head pounding from a headache he had no idea he had been suffering from. Kaori leaned on the wall, slightly groaning from the pain.

"They're going to end up killing you." Tyson muttered, taking in the weak form of Kaori. They hadn't been fed in days and Tyson's stomach would always remind him of that fact whenever he didn't want to be reminded of the hunger.

Kaori gave out a weak chuckle, "Nemesis fully intends to beat it into me that I'm her darling tamer. Not like I can do anything to stop her. I'm powerless against her. Damn, Arion, why won't you help me?"

Tyson looked at the ceiling and flinched, "Kaori, what is that?"

Kaori looked up and both teens were met with pictures they hadn't noticed before. On one of the pictures, Kai and some other boy – Rin, Kaori muttered – were surrounded by flames, wings appearing from their backs. The difference was that Rin's wings were torn and broken while Kai's were in perfect condition. He was covering his face with his hands, tears slipping through his fingers, while Kai stared at the sky with a proud face.

In another, Max and a girl – Aya, Kaori said when Tyson asked who it was – were facing each other, their hands intertwined as they were surrounded by water. Aya had silver chains wrapped around her and looked as if she was drowning rather than peacefully swimming like Max was.

In another, Ray and a boy – Riku, Kaori helpfully muttered and Tyson briefly remembered him from his childhood – were surrounded by black thorns. Riku was in obvious pain, tears falling down from his eyes as he reached out for help while Ray was sleeping peacefully, the thorns not drawing blood.

In another, Hiro was surrounded by the image of a dark blue dragon that Tyson knew was Dark Dragoon. Hiro was unconscious and Dark Dragoon was grinning, as if he had won some kind of game or something. In another picture, two twins – Hikaru and Shun – were asleep and strings were wrapped around their bodies. In another picture, a girl was crying as she was falling through what appeared to be quicksand. Kaori said that the girl was Nami.

In another picture, Raul and Julia were both trapped inside a black cage, staring ruefully into the distance. Broken wings came out from their backs and Julia was crying. In another picture, Kaori was grinning madly as she choked a girl that Tyson recognized as Hilary. However, tears of blood were coming out of Kaori's eyes, as if she wasn't doing this because she wanted to.

In the last picture, Tyson was resting in a black throne, sleeping soundly. Two boys were crouching down next to him, one of them grinning with a mad look in his eyes and the other smiling gently. The gentle boy had black hair and white eyes and the mad boy had white hair and black eyes. Chaos was standing behind the throne, his hands resting on the shoulders of the twin boys.

"Who do you think drew that?" Kaori whispered, a part of her frightened by seeing herself trying to kill Hilary and another part in awe by the talent the artist must have had to draw these images.

"Who knows?" Tyson muttered, "Creepy, don't you think?"

Kaori nodded, "Not something most people would like to see." She shivered, looking up to admire the pictures in the walls and admiring the artwork. She was not going to admit that she was fanatic of the arts, especially paintings. "Was it Chaos that drew this? Or was it another member of the Forsaken Fallen?" She asked. She doubted Nemesis would've painted this, though.

"It was Takao." Tyson muttered. When Kaori turned to look at him, her eyes dancing with the question of why he thought so, Tyson elaborated, "Who else would it be? I don't think Ann would've done it. I mean . . ." He gulped, remembering the gaze of those storm-blue eyes, "Remember how . . . _lost_ Takao seemed when we first saw him?"

Kaori nodded slowly, looking at the ground, "Well, we went kind of crazy and we only endured their torture for half a year. Imagine how long Takao and Ann were in here, being tortured." She turned to Tyson, "We will save them, won't we?"

Tyson nodded, shooting her a smile, "Yeah. We'll save Takao and Ann and we won't give in to Chaos and the others."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Bey City, Japan_

Ray woke up to the sound of whispering. He sat up and noticed Aya speaking with Nami. The two girls were mumbling something he couldn't hear. Aya was dressed in a long sleeved light blue shirt that was too big for her, as it was slipping from one side, showing her black bra strap and an old scar that Ray knew was related to the Forsaken Fallen. She also was wearing long black pants.

Nami still had her hair down and she was dressed in a long-sleeved light green night gown that reached up to her knees. Ray noticed her legs were filled with gashes and what appeared to be burn marks.

". . . I had the dream where Chaos . . ."

". . . why would he do that to Kai . . .?"

Ray sat up and the two girls turned to him, their conversation over. Aya smiled, "Rise and shine, Ray! It's nine in the morning already. Kai and Rin are already eating breakfast. Well, not really. Rin's drinking coffee as usual. I bet he didn't get any sleep last night."

A fake smile, Ray thought and he saw the twins and Daichi still sleeping. Riku was missing, he noted, but he had a feeling that he couldn't be that far away. It was odd how he could feel Riku was nearby. According to the other teen, they could sense each other because of their bonds with the holy beasts Driger and Dark Driger, the two beasts that used to be the being Byakko. He turned to the girls, "Has Max woken up yet?"

Nami shook her head and Aya sighed, "And Dizzi still won't tell us where Max ended up. Only that he was safe. Not very assuring, if you ask me. I mean, the Forsaken Fallen have a knack for invading our dreams."

Ray stood up and he noticed Aya quickly fixed her shirt, covering the scars on her arms. He wanted to ask her about it but he had a feeling that it was something painful for her to talk about. He wouldn't blame her, though. The Forsaken Fallen really hurt all of them. They had broken Riku, shattered Rin and changed the others. Had anyone ever had contact with the Forsaken Fallen and not fallen prey to their destructive nature?

"Let's eat some breakfast, shall we?" Aya grinned and walked to the direction of the kitchen – Ray was not going to ask how she knew where it was – with Ray and Nami following behind her. When they reached the kitchen, Ray was greeted by something that he had never thought of ever seeing. Judging by Nami and Aya's faces, they didn't expect it either.

Riku was sitting down in one of the chairs and munching happily at a pancake. When he saw them, he merely waved at them and resumed eating his pancake, pouring a large amount of honey in it. Kai was also eating pancakes, staring at the dish with the food with an intensity Ray had seen only when he was in a beybattle. Meanwhile, the head of the Mizushima family – Rin – was sitting down in the table next to Riku. What was surprising was that his usually neatly-combed hair was jutting out in several directions and he seemed to be half asleep as he sipped on his mug of coffee.

"Morning." Riku finally broke the silence before grabbing another pancake from the stack that was in the middle of the table.

Aya stifled a chuckle and took out her mobile phone, grinning as she took a picture of Kai and of Rin, "A picture of Kai eating pancakes and Rin half-asleep and with bed-hair? This morning is the best, Riku!"

"I thought you hadn't slept, Rin." Nami interjected as Aya went to hug the half-asleep teenager, cooing over how adorable he looked with bed-hair and how it made him look younger. Rin must have been really half-asleep as he didn't even try to push Aya away or say anything to her.

Kai chuckled, a sound that surprised Ray because it was hard to coax laughter from the phoenix-wielder, "I might have coaxed him into falling asleep. Rin was always a sucker for Russian lullabies. He slept really soundly whenever Natasha would sing to him. Old habits die hard, huh, Mizushima?"

"Shut up, Hiwatari." Rin muttered but there was no bite to the statement. He yawned, drinking his coffee. He closed his eyes, "I went over the documents this morning and found that all of the names of the children they had kidnapped were listed. Most of the children had similar sounding last names to ours, which seems to explain why they kidnapped children that weren't related to the ones who uncovered them. Ann, for example, is Ann Giese but she is not related to the twins or Elva Giese. Another child, Osiris, was Osiris Mizu _hara_ instead of Mizu _shima_."

He yawned, rubbing his eyes (Ray could see Aya taking pictures of his actions but didn't say anything), "But it still seems that several children had the possibilities of being tamers besides us. Ann, Miley, Allen and a couple others had the capacity of being tamers for other holy beasts." He leaned his forehead on the table, "Kai, give me more coffee . . ."

"You can get it yourself." Kai replied.

Riku smiled at Ray, waving a fork around, "Ray-tiger, do you think that Max-turtle is awake yet? Grandpa-dragon is already doing his daily exercises and said that Max-turtle wasn't up yet but he might be now."

"Tiger? Turtle? Dragon?" Ray questioned.

Nami waved a hand in a dismissive manner before sitting down in the table, "Riku-kun has a tendency of comparing many people to animals or inanimate objects. He calls me a doll. Aya is a mermaid, Hikaru is a dog, Shun is a fish, Kaori is a monkey and Rin is a snowflake."

"Snowflake?" Kai questioned.

"Sometimes a rabbit." Nami said, thinking about it. She still had no idea why Riku said that about them. She had some guesses but her theories were probably wrong. Then again, rabbits die from loneliness, mermaids are stuck in a cruel world, dolls are just for display, dogs are good companions, fish are quiet and monkeys are energetic creatures . . .

"Stop telling them things, Nami." Rin mumbled as he was refilling his coffee mug, "They don't need to understand Riku's quirks."

Riku waved his hand up in the air, "Kai-phoenix, can you give me another pancake? They are very delicious." Kai stared at him for a long time before giving him a pancake. Rin stared at Kai, the look of betrayal on his face, as he had given Riku the pancake but hadn't refilled his coffee mug.

"Find anything else?" Ray asked Rin.

Rin gave out a small hum, sipping at his coffee before continuing, "I think I found a lead on a place they could be at. I just need to know where exactly it is. I'm going to research a little on the Hollow Tree of Life so I'm going to leave the dojo for a while. You guys have to talk to Hilary's grandmother."

"You're not leaving the dojo by yourself." Nami scolded, "You'll be easy prey for the Forsaken Fallen. Go with Kenny, Hilary, Ray or Kai." She huffed when Rin didn't acknowledge her. She grabbed his ear and, ignoring his cries of outrage, yelled, "Did you hear me, Rin-nii?"

"Hai, hai! Let go!" Rin cried out, protecting his precious coffee from being spilled. Nami smirked before doing just that. Rin rolled his eyes, pouting slightly, "I can't say that I will envy Shun when he marries you." That caused the girl to squeak and turn bright red, allowing Rin to use his trademark smirk.

"You're up already?" Hikaru asked as he and Daichi walked in to the dining room.

Shun followed behind the two loud boys, his face completely serious, "Max-kun is awake." This statement caused everyone to go completely serious and Ray felt himself sigh in relief. Max was fine. He was back.

 _But back from where?_

The blonde himself entered and the two half-Russians narrowed their eyes in question when they saw the chain wrapped around Max's neck, one that had not been around his neck when he had collapsed. Kai and Rin shared a knowing glance but didn't say anything, deciding to allow Max to explain where he had gotten that necklace.

Max smiled softly, "Sorry for making you worry, you guys."

"You should be," Aya pouted.

Max gave out a nervous laugh and then grabbed the necklace, holding it tightly on his hand. His expression was dead serious, causing all of them to stare at him intently, wanting an explanation for his sudden solemnity. He sighed, "How can I start this . . . ? I guess the only way to explain is for you to see."

He let go of the necklace and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they all flinched when they noticed that Max's left eye was now completely white. Kai's eyes widened. Those eyes were the same ones that helped him escape from Chaos's nightmare.

" _I am the friend of someone who cares about you a lot."_

" _Let me introduce you guys to the holy beast known as Night."_ Max said and Ray felt a shiver run down his spine when he heard another voice speaking along with Max. The second voice was ancient and powerful. The voice of the ancient bit-beast Night. . . A member of the Forsaken Fallen.

"Night? A member of the Forsaken Fallen?" Aya asked, voicing the thoughts of everyone present. She remembered that name, the name Chaos would call for during midnight the way a wolf howled to the moon.

Max shook his head and he spoke, Night's voice overlapping with his own, _"Let me explain something before you condemn Night, alright? You see, he told me that the truth of the Forsaken Fallen is-."_

Hiro burst into the room, interrupting Max, "Julia has been kidnapped and Raul is in the hospital!"

"What?!"

"Dammit!" Rin punched the table, his coffee mug falling over the edge of the table and breaking. He ran a hand through his hair, looking angry. Kai knew that hatred wasn't directed at the Forsaken Fallen, only at himself. Rin scowled, "I was an idiot! I forgot about Raul and Julia! And now they have Juli-chan. . ."

"If you're so adamant over blaming yourself, then I'm at fault too!" Aya shouted at him. They all turned to her and Ray noticed she had a hand on her shoulder. The same on that he had seen had been littered by scars.

" _This is not the time nor the place, Aya, Rin,"_ Max/Night said and they all felt themselves relax. How odd, Hiro noted, that Night's presence is so soothing when his brother's presence does nothing to help calm anyone. Max/Night turned to Hiro, "Hiro, I need to ask a favor. Could you perhaps grant it? It is the only request I ask of you."

Hiro frowned, "What kind of request?"

Max/Night sighed, _"Do you honestly think that we can take down my brothers and sister with only the might of Dranzer, Driger, Draciel and Strata Dragoon? I know that my younger brothers have become stronger than they were centuries ago. However, Chaos and the others will not hold back in their assault this time."_

"What's your point?" Daichi asked the holy beast.

 _"You'll need help."_ Max/Night replied before bowing slightly at them, _"I know it is not in my place to ask of this but please honor my request. For the sake of the world I love, I will fight my dear brother and I will do whatever it takes to keep the human race safe."_

Silence. Hiro stared at the holy beast for a long time, seeing that, even though he had control over Max's body, he wasn't trying to kill them. He also seemed to be sharing the body with Max, rather than possessing it completely the way Chaos and the others did. Night is different from the other members of the Forsaken Fallen . . . then why is he said to have been part of it?

"Alright, I'll do it." Hiro said and Max/Night straightened, a bright smile now in his face, "But first, mind telling us what exactly you plan on doing? What is this request of yours?"

Max/Night played with the necklace around his neck, _"As I said before, you cannot hope to defeat my brothers and sisters with only the might of four bit-beasts, five if you count Metal Driger. Even in the first battle centuries ago, the four sacred beasts had help."_

"You mean . . ." Kai mumbled, finally seeing where he was going with this.

Max/Night nodded, _"I believe it is time to reunite all the ones who possess bit-beasts. Call the rest of the bladers you know. The battle for humanity is fast approaching, after all."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"You still have some fight left? I'm impressed." Chaos grinned down at the panting form of the tamer of Zeus. Brooklyn looked up at him, glaring at him as he fought to ignore the pain. He was aching all over and he could feel blood coming from several of his wounds. There was a cut in his face that had narrowly missed his right eye that was bleeding and he could taste blood inside his mouth.

Sitting down watching this was Ann and Julia, who looked half-dead. She had tendrils wrapped around her body like chains and she stared at him with a dazed look. Brooklyn had no idea how she had been tortured but it might have been mental torture rather than physical like his current torture.

"You are, huh? It must be new to you that someone isn't crying during your torture. After all, you only have experience doing this to little kids." Brooklyn retorted. He regretted it when Chaos kicked him in the face, making him taste blood in his mouth again.

"Watch it. Unlike Julia, Tyson and Kaori, I don't need you alive. I can kill you if I want to." Chaos replied, grabbing Brooklyn from his blood-matted hair and yanking on his hair harshly. Brooklyn bit back a scream. He wasn't going to scream. He wouldn't give Chaos the satisfaction.

" **This is getting rather boring, Chaos."** Ann said, yawning – Chaos knew that it had been Dark Dragoon who had said that because the dark half of Seiryu had a short attention span – and giving Brooklyn a cold smile that chilled the teenager.

"Think so?" Chaos looked down at Brooklyn, yanking at his hair again, "I agree. Let's kill him if he refuses to give up his body to Zeus. Come on, you've done it before. Do it again and we won't kill you. Got it, Brooklyn?"

It was outright terrifying, the way Chaos had said his name. No matter how terrified he was of this demonic bit-beast who was possessing Takao, Brooklyn refused to show it. And there was no way he was going to give up control of his body. He didn't know how it felt to have a bit-beast controlling your body but he knew it probably felt like when he had fought both Kai and Tyson during the Justice 5 tournament.

During that time, he was scared, angry and frustrated. He had never lost in his life before until Kai defeated him and he had felt so upset that he felt himself slipping. He could hear another voice telling him to fight and _destroy_ and he didn't know when he decided to start listening to it. He could only remember the emotions he felt during those battles and his thoughts. But . . . according to Chaos, he had been influenced by Zeus during that time. It had been the closest thing to the type of possession that the Forsaken Fallen used.

He was not going to fall prey to his inner darkness again.

"How about we have a wager?" Brooklyn asked and Chaos raised his eyebrow in question. Brooklyn smirked when he knew that he had caught his attention, "If you can beat me in a game, I'll stop being so rebellious and I might give in to Zeus."

"What if you win, hm?" Chaos smirked.

"If I win, you release Takao, Tyson, Kaori, Ann and myself and you and the rest of your damned Forsaken Fallen go back to wherever the hell you came from."

"All or nothing? Sounds like fun," Chaos released his hold on Brooklyn's hair and crossed his arms in front of his chest, "Well then, what game will we be playing?"

"A personal favorite of mine. You might recognize it." Brooklyn laughed darkly and Chaos frowned, his crimson-red eyes narrowing with suspicion. He knew where this was heading, Brooklyn thought with a dark chuckle.

"You got to be kidding me." Chaos said in a disgusted tone and Ann's lips curled in distaste, as if she had eaten something bad. Considering how much they hated the sport, Brooklyn supposed that their reaction was normal.

Brooklyn grinned, "Oh, I'm completely serious. It's time to beybattle, Chaos."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Hehe . . . do you guys want to kill me for what I've done in this chapter?**

 **Rin: Killing you . . . would be too painless for you.**

 **Anime: Gak! Get this psycho-sociopath away from me before he kills me! *runs away***

 **Riku: You were the one who rushed this because you gave yourself a deadline. Besides, was it really necessary to make four new MIAB covers and watch Attack on Titan when you should've been working on this?**

 **Anime: Titans?! TITANS! KILL THEM ALL!**

 **Aya: Feedback would be nice. The end was a little bad, huh? *throws a rock at Anime***

 **Kaori: We'll try to make the next chapter better, okay? Don't be mad, okay?**

 **Hikaru and Shun: So many things are yet to come. After all, the other bladers are making an appearance and a beybattle between Brooklyn and Chaos is coming up next!**

 **Nami: It wouldn't be Beyblade without a beybattle.**

 **Night: Thank you very much for reading this chapter! We hope to see you in the next one! Um . . . Let it rip!**

 ****Fun fact of the chapter: Sasha's original name in the first draft was Rowena, after Rowena Ravenclaw. She is now named after the anime character she is based on: Sasha from the Lost Canvas****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Chapter 8: No Reason**

 **Song: No Reason by Weiss**


	9. Chapter 8: No Reason

**Anime: Wow, I got a great reception for that last chapter. Unexpected, to be honest, because I thought it was bad . . . Anyways, today (in my time zone) is November 15, meaning it is the birthday of the OC's Hikaru and Shun Kuwashima!**

 **Hikaru: Yeah, yeah . . .**

 **Shun: Thank you for uploading a chapter on our birthday.**

 **Nami: Hugs to the wonderful reviewers KinomiyaHiwatari, Miley Agrawal and Little. A Granger! Thank you for your support!**

 **Tyson: The plot advances in this chapter.**

 **Max: We finally hear the story of the Forsaken Fallen and the first beybattle is happening in this chapter! Chaos vs. Brooklyn!**

 **Ray: Things will finally start moving towards the ultimate battle. So, without further ado, to the chapter.**

 **Kai: Anime does not own Beyblade. And we're glad for that.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Quote of the Chapter**

" _ **Sometimes, we need someone to accept us and love us first. Then, we would learn to see ourselves through that person's eyes and learn to love ourselves."**_

 _ **Yuki Sohma (Fruits Basket)**_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **8: No Reason**

 _Bey City, Japan_

"Hey, Night?" Hilary asked as she sat down next to the holy beast that had control over Max's body at the moment. Hiro, Ray, Kai and Kenny were contacting the other bladers like Night had requested while Rin, Riku, Aya, Nami, Shun and Hikaru were discussing something in the corner of the room. Judging by their serious faces, Hilary guessed it had something to do with the Forsaken Fallen.

" _You are Hilary. . . Ah, she is, is she not, Max?"_ Max-Night said. The last part seemed to have been directed at Max, not at her, though.

"Wait . . . is Max conscious right now?" Hilary asked in awe. From what Aya and Nami had told her, the Forsaken Fallen took complete control over your body and you were forced to watch yourself do horrible things and knowing you could do nothing about it. Riku said that he fell into a deep slumber whenever Dark Driger took over him and was always scared whenever he saw the damage the dark bit-beast had done while Riku was 'asleep'.

Max-Night nodded, _"Unlike my siblings, I am not yet in 'full capacity'. Max is acting as my host as I regain my power and corporal body but he is aware of what he is doing and has the ability to control this body. He is doing me a favor, after all. Now, you had a question for me?"_

"Why?"

" _I beg your pardon?"_ Max-Night asked, blinking in surprise. It seemed so odd to see Max like this, especially because of the bicolored gaze of the teenager. Despite being so ancient, despite being the 'little brother' of Chaos, Night's eyes still shone with innocence that Hilary couldn't understand. He had a very soothing voice as well, nothing like that voice that haunted her nightmares. The voice that she guessed belonged to Chaos.

"Why did Chaos turn evil? Why does he want to destroy the human race?"

Max-Night's eyes turned soft at that point. He sighed and looked up, _"Max asked something similar to that and I had no choice but to tell him the truth of the holy beasts. It is a very long story so it would be better if I told all of you."_

"Then do start." Rin's voice entered the conversation and Max-Night and Hilary turned around to see him sit down next to them, the others following suit. His eyes darkened, "I want to know why all of this happened. I want to know why we suffered. I want to know why so many people had to die."

" _Understandable."_

"So, tell us." Aya said, staring at the bicolored gaze of Max-Night with an intensity Hilary hadn't ever seen her use, "Tell us the story of the beasts known as the Forsaken Fallen."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Brooklyn looked at the room that Chaos had taken him and noticed that, like the others, it was bare. The Forsaken Fallen didn't seem to like sunlight or furniture, seeing as they had no windows and there were no furniture. In fact . . . there was nothing. Not even a beystadium.

"Do you even know the rules of beyblade?" Brooklyn questioned the deity and stayed silent when he could feel waves of hatred coming from Chaos. He turned to look at him and saw that Chaos was pissed, glaring at the black beyblade in his hands. He scoffed and placed the bit-chip that always hung around his neck on the blade. The bit-chip, Brooklyn realized with a jolt, that was Chaos. If it was destroyed, would Chaos disappear? Would Takao come back?

"Of course I do," Chaos grumbled, "A degrading sport where humans use holy beasts, or bit-beasts as you decided to call them, instead of us using humans. Did my brothers and sisters really betray me, seal me away for millenniums and abandon me for this? Being used by humans for such a useless game when they would've been treated like deities if they had allowed me to kill the human race."

He had a lot of pent-up anger for humans, Brooklyn noted as he readied his own blade. Even if it was just for a moment, he was glad to have Zeus in his hands again. He felt more confident with the aid of his dark bit-beast. He definitely needed the confidence boost, as he was going up against a bit-beast who had a personal grudge with the humans. A bit-beast that claimed to be the strongest and most ancient out of all the holy beasts.

Chaos placed his blade on his launcher and Brooklyn did the same. Before he could start, though, Brooklyn asked, "Where's the stadium, Chaos?"

Chaos smirked, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint, "In your conditions, you never mentioned a stadium or any solid rules. You only said it was a beybattle. I'm afraid that you'll have to go all out to beat me. I don't play by your rules, mortal. You're going to be playing by mine."

Brooklyn grimaced at the wicked look in the other's eyes but refused to allow his fear to show. He was never going to give Chaos the satisfaction. This was going to be one hell of a battle that he might not win. Hell, maybe Chaos could kill him in this battle. But . . .

 _Tyson, Kaori, Julia, Takao . . . I'm definitely going to win. You can count on it._

"Three . . . two . . . one!" Brooklyn shouted before launching his black beyblade, "Let's go, Zeus!"

Chaos merely launched the black beyblade that now held his bit-chip and stared at the two clashing blades with pure boredom. He sighed and Brooklyn scowled at him. How dare he look so relaxed in battle? He didn't even look like he was trying to fight back! It reminded him . . . of himself. And he hated that.

 _Let's see if you can keep looking so bored and calm by the time this battle is over,_ Brooklyn thought as he winced when Zeus was attacked harshly by Chaos's blade. _I lost my cool eventually. How long will your façade last, Chaos?_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _I do not think I need to start from the actual beginning so I will skip details from our past before we arrived in Earth. I would need to tell you about the Seventeen Elders and our creation and you will get bored by it."_ Max-Night said. Max internally glared at Night, as he had to listen to the whole story. And man, had that been really boring. Informative, but boring.

By now, the others had finished contacting the other bladers and had decided to listen to the story as well and were now staring at him intently. Rin and Aya's gazes were piercing, reminding Night of the gaze of a certain hungry wolf.

' _Max, they are terrifying, are they not? How can you stand it?'_

' _They're not that bad, Night. If you're scared of their gazes now, I think you're going to pass out in fear when you see Kai's death glare.'_

' _Oh dear, that does not sound good.'_

" _You did not know this but the Forsaken Fallen and the other holy beasts were very close to each other. We were like siblings, all of us being created by the Seventeen Elders and we were the only people we had that we cared about. Chaos, having been locked away by the Elders because of his unstable power, clung to each and every one of us. You can imagine how angry and hurt he was when his precious 'little brothers' Dragoon, Driger, Draciel and Dranzer stopped being with him to be with humans, especially Daisuke."_

Max-Night stopped talking and Max was bewildered when he saw that Night was looking at Daichi, looking thoughtful. The red-head didn't seem to notice, though, so Max wondered why Night seemed so interested in Daichi. He could hear some of Night's thoughts – _Daisuke . . . red hair . . . Gaea Dragoon_ – but they hardly made sense.

' _Hey, what are you thinking about?'_

The image of a small boy that looked practically identical to Daichi appeared in his mind. He had the same red hair and skin tone but his eyes, instead of being green, were golden. He was dressed in a very simple brown kimono and he was smiling brightly, one of his hands outstretched as if he wanted someone to take it. That was Daisuke?

" _With a little of my help and Erebus's, Chaos was not as upset and even allowed us to go and interact with the humans if we wanted to. My twin Erebus and I outright refused to abandon him, seeing how he was scared of being alone. Two years later, however, everything changed when Chaos met Sasha."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Come on, Zeus! Take him down!" Brooklyn shouted as his blade continued its assault on Chaos's own blade. Chaos was frowning, staring at the blades but not doing anything. Chaos rolled his eyes as his blade dodged Zeus's attack and launched its own attack.

"Your tactics have changed." Chaos replied as Zeus began chasing the other black blade through the room. He didn't even flinch when the two blades nearly hit his foot. "I remember that you weren't one that tended to go into the offensive so quickly." Chaos's blade stopped fleeing Zeus and slammed into the other blade. Brooklyn grunted a bit in pain.

"How do you know how I used to blade?" Brooklyn questioned the other as Zeus went to the defensive, Chaos's blade hitting it using speed that rivaled Driger's and strength that rivaled Dragoon's. He still couldn't tell what type of blade Chaos was using. It was powerful in attack, speed and defense and seemed to have a lot of stamina as well.

Chaos smirked, "Let's just say that I couldn't sleep in my sealed state and I had nothing to do but observe this pitiful planet and its corrupted inhabitants." He yawned before smiling at Brooklyn, "As fun as it is to toy with you, you're boring me. So, let's end this, yeah?"

Chaos's blade stopped moving and began to spin in place. Around it, black smoke began to form and Brooklyn tensed, readying himself for the incoming attack. Chaos closed his eyes and Brooklyn's eyes widened when he saw that the smoke surrounding the blade had formed what looked like a spiral galaxy. The bit of the blade was glowing as well so it looked like Chaos had created a mini galaxy with his blade.

Chaos opened his eyes and, instead of being its usual fiery red color, they were black but filled with shining lights like stars. Brooklyn gasped and took a step back in surprise. This didn't look good.

"Chaotic Galaxy Destruction."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _Sasha was an ordinary human who had been chosen by the villagers to become a priestess and serve us. To this day, I have no idea why Chaos decided to stay by her side. I know he did not care about being worshipped by the humans. But I did not mind that he had found a human to cherish. Eventually, Chaos began to see her as a friend. He probably loved her, too."_

"Chaos? Capable of love?" Rin scoffed and Kai felt the same way. How could someone like Chaos love someone, considering how wicked and twisted he was now and how he scoffed at the notion of love. How could he ever love a human?

"Seems hard to believe, right? I could hardly believe it myself. I outright laughed at Night because it seemed hard to believe." Max-Night laughed before turning serious, _"Think what you want but my brother was not always the cold-hearted, cruel and wicked person that he is now. He was gentle and caring, if a bit cynical, loud and sadistic. But he never willingly hurt anyone, even if they had the right to be punished."_

"That sounds really crazy. Are you sure your memory isn't failing you?" Aya questioned. Even if she liked the idea that Chaos had a good heart within his fiendish nature, her past experiences with the holy beast didn't allow her to imagine that. Not when she bore the scars that proved Chaos was a merciless person. Not when everyone she cared for bore similar scars.

" _No, my memory does not fail me, young Aya. Chaos probably loved Sasha and even we all began to love her as much as we loved Daisuke. Then, that dreaded day came. The day that ruined our lives and led us down this terrible path of death and destruction."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Brooklyn was on the ground, panting loudly. There were several cuts on his body and he could feel blood coming out of his wounds. His blade was wobbling but it hadn't been destroyed by the powerful attack, nor had it stopped spinning. He didn't know if that was good or bad.

"Down so easily, Brooklyn?" Chaos chuckled, his eyes now back to normal. He grunted slightly and Brooklyn noticed that blood trickled down the side of his mouth. Chaos frowned and wiped it away, "I expected more from you, considering how badly you injured Kai and Tyson. I suppose that was just luck because you're a so-called prodigy at this game."

Brooklyn stood up, glaring defiantly at him, "You're putting too much strain on Takao's body. You're going to end up killing him!" Did Takao feel the pain that Chaos felt? Or did he feel more pain because Chaos was using so much of his power? Power that Takao probably couldn't handle.

Chaos stared at his hands, "I suppose you're right. I could end up killing him. But my little doll will not mind. He has lost his mind and humanity. He only considers himself a tool for the members of the Forsaken Fallen."

"You're all sick. How did you do that to a kid?" Brooklyn challenged as his blade slammed Chaos's with incredible speed that made Chaos grunt slightly in pain, "Why would you cause them all to suffer like this? What do you gain from it?"

Chaos's eyes were now hidden by his bangs and his body slumped slightly. Brooklyn was shocked by the sudden demeanor change. When Chaos raised his head, he could see tears forming on the corners of his eyes. What in the world . . .?

"Why would we do this to them?" Chaos's voice was low, almost a whisper. It sounded angry, sad and lonely at the same time. "Simple. So they can feel the same pain we lived through."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _I do not know when Erebus fell to the darkness that corrupted the hearts of men. If I had known, perhaps I would have been able to stop him,"_ Night-Max mumbled, " _He hated Sasha with all his might because he was jealous that Chaos was giving her the love that Chaos gave only to us. He was selfish, wanting Chaos to only love him and no one else."_

Aya raised a small hand, looking rather awkward by something. "Hey . . . are you implying that this Erebus guy liked Chaos the way Chaos might have liked Sasha?" All of them blinked and turned to Night, wanting confirmation over that statement. The bit-beast turned his head to the side, looking at them with a confused look in his eyes.

" _I am not implying anything, Aya. I am stating that my brother was in love with Chaos."_ Night-Max said bluntly. Rin spat out the tea that he had been drinking and Nami blushed. The twins covered their mouths in surprise.

" _Why are you so shocked?"_ Night asked as all the pairs in the room stared at him with incredulous looks. He huffed, an annoyed expression now present on his face, and Max could hear him mentally counting down to ten. He supposed that even patient spirits have their limits.

" _I know it is not common to hear that a man loved a man but we holy beasts do not have specific genders. We are neither male nor female but we can chose to appear as either a male or female. Dark Dranzer took the form of a female when we first appeared in Earth but Rin claimed that Dark Dranzer came to him in the form of a male."_

 _That would explain a lot_ , Rin thought. He recalled moments where Dark Dranzer would appear to him in the form of a fourteen year old girl but sometimes appearing to him in the form of a ten year old boy. _The beasts have no true gender and could choose to be one or the other. Interesting._

"Alright, we get it," Hilary said, seeing how shocked Aya still looked like, "Erebus liked Chaos and was jealous of Sasha because Chaos loved her. And? What happened that made Chaos become evil?"

Night's eyes became soft before averting his eyes, _"Erebus's jealousy was so grand that, one day, he finally gave up and listened to the wicked thoughts in his mind. On the day she and Chaos would meet again in their meadow, Erebus found Sasha and took her life."_

Silence. Hilary gasped and Nami covered her mouth, eyes wide. Rin, Riku and Kai's eyes widened but didn't show other signs of shock. Shun squeezed his brother's hand and Aya looked at the floor. Hiro, Kenny, Daichi and Ray looked shocked but hadn't gasped like Hilary had.

'I remember that day, Night.' Dizzi spoke for the first time since Night began telling the tale of the Forsaken Fallen, 'We all arrived at that place because Chaos's screams of despair had led us there. It was awful.'

Night-Max nodded, _"A very horrific and tragic sight. Chaos crying as Sasha laid limp in his arms. She was covered in so much blood. . ."_ Night trailed off and Max peeked into Night's thoughts. He began to wish that he hadn't once he saw what Night had been reliving.

 _A perfectly blue sky. A meadow filled with beautiful white flowers that ranged from roses to lilies. A clear blue lake in the distance. Chaos holding a bloodied corpse as he cried towards the heavens, shiny tears landing on the corpse's face. The flowers surrounding Chaos and the corpse that had once been Sasha were blood-red. White petals danced in the air. Someone was singing a bittersweet melody. A perfectly blue sky. . ._

"How awful." Shun muttered, leaning on Hikaru's shoulder, who wrapped an arm around his twin. Hikaru's lips tightened, remembering the dead children he had once seen during that time. The three dead children that Rin had killed when Dark Dranzer had taken over him.

"What happened after her death? I mean, what did Chaos do after Sasha was killed?" Hilary asked and Kai noticed that Night-Max flinched at the question and his eyes looked sad, as if he didn't want to relive the experiences of his past anymore.

" _What did my brother do? After three days and three nights of mourning Sasha's death, Chaos called upon Hecate, Hades, Nemesis, Gaea, Tartarus, Ouranos, Dark Driger, Dark Draciel, Dark Dragoon and Dark Dranzer and went to war against Erebus and the holy beasts that had joined him."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"What do you mean by that?" Brooklyn asked as the two blades circled each other but none made a move to hit each other. Brooklyn decided to make Chaos lower his guard before unleashing the King of Darkness attack and perhaps making him talk about the past would help. It might be a dirty trick but Chaos said that there were no rules and Brooklyn was not going to lose this important battle because of his nonexistent morals.

Chaos closed his eyes and his blade stopped circling and spun in place. Brooklyn braced himself for the incoming Chaotic Galaxy Destruction but it never came. Chaos opened his crimson-red eyes, "Every torture that you've gone through since you came here . . . has been a way I've been tortured in the past."

"No way. I don't believe you." Brooklyn said as Zeus hit Chaos's blade, making Chaos cringe as his blade hit the wall.

"Believe what you want but my brothers, sisters and I suffered through the same things we've put you through. For centuries, I was trapped in a godforsaken tower that only had one barricaded window so I didn't know how the world was like. Whenever I disobeyed the Elders, I was beaten. Solitary confinement and nightmares were their favorite torture methods to use on me. It screwed with my mind, that's for sure. And they always told me that I was nothing but a tool for them to use. As you can imagine, I despise the Sixteen Elders the same way you hate us."

Chaos's blade practically flew towards Zeus, hitting it twice before retreating, forcing Zeus to start chasing it. Brooklyn lifted his foot as the two blades had been about to crash onto his leg and he knew that he would receive more injuries if that had happened.

Brooklyn frowned because he heard someone whispering that there were seventeen elders, not sixteen. But how would he know that? Then, did that mean it had been Zeus who had told him that? _Zeus? Did you just speak to me?_

Brooklyn was suddenly in a meadow where a small child that couldn't have been older than six was smiling widely at the young teenager that was cradling him in his arms. The child was Chaos and the girl was . . . _Lizbeth_.

"You say you hate the Elders . . . does that include Lizbeth?" He asked and he noticed, to his surprise, that Chaos stiffened and turned pale. He clenched his fingers and looked away. His defenses were down. Now was the time to strike!

"You're not worthy enough to speak her name, mortal!" Chaos yelled and was about to attack but he had not been quick enough.

"King of Darkness Attack!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"The Forsaken Fallen fought against Erebus? Was that the first time they banded together as an official group?" Ray questioned as everyone else remained silent, merely staring at Night-Max.

'It was,' Dizzi answered, 'They had been the only ones that had the courage to fight our other brothers and sisters. Who would want to do such a thing? Chaos took it upon himself to do so.'

" _The holy beasts that had joined Erebus had been Phobus, Mars, Vulcan, Juno, Nike, Persephone, Hypnos, Thanatos, Notus, Asteria, Morpheus, Deimos, Asclepius, Hemera, Aether, Moros, Ker, Momus, Oizys, Apate, Philotes, Geras and Eris. The odds were not in the favor of Chaos and the others and the others refused to interfere. Chaos called them all cowards, including me. But how could I choose between my twin brother and my dear older brother?_ I guess that decision wouldn't be so hard for Hiro-." Max-Night covered his mouth and frowned.

' _Was that necessary, Max?'_

' _He deserves it.'_

Hiro looked away, the words echoing inside his mind. He hardly ever took Tyson's side and that made him the worst older brother in history. That was the reason Tyson was so angry at him. Hell, even psychotic and sadistic Chaos cared for his younger siblings. If he had been in Night's place, would he have preferred Chaos or Erebus? Would he have been able to stay neutral? No, he probably wouldn't have.

"Max, that wasn't very nice." Aya replied. At the questioning glances from the others, Aya shrugged, "Night wouldn't say something like that. He doesn't seem like the type, considering he's a big brother himself."

"Ignoring that rude comment made about Hiro-nii," Nami muttered, "How did that battle go down? I mean, I know that the Forsaken Fallen beat the others but . . . what happened to them?"

Night-Max bit his lower lip before answering, "Besides Sasha, they had annihilated twenty villages and were planning to destroy every single living being in this world. Chaos and the rest of my siblings had no other choice . . . they killed all the members of Eden's Rapture."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Chaos screamed in pain and Brooklyn's eyes widened when he saw a transparent figure appear next to him. It was a boy with crimson-red eyes and long black hair dressed in the same clothes Chaos had made Takao wear. The boy glared and Chaos fell to his knees, gasping for breath.

"How did you enjoy that?" Brooklyn asked.

Chaos growled and the figure that had appeared next to him vanished. Had that been Chaos's true form? If so, it seemed he had sustained more damage than Takao's body had. This was something he could use to his advantage.

"Enough." Chaos hissed out, "I've toyed with you for too long. It's time to end this." His bit-chip began to glow and something black emerged from it. Brooklyn gasped and Chaos smirked, "Be honored that you were able to see my true self, the self I don't like people to see."

"What the hell . . .?" Brooklyn stared at the . . . thing that was in front of him. It was something that could only be described as an unformed mass that held no shape and was just a shapeless heap. Was this what Chaos really was?

"Big Bang Universe Eruption!" Chaos yelled as the shapeless heap that was Chaos's true form shaped itself in the form of a serpentine-like dragon and made its way to attack Brooklyn.

Brooklyn braced himself and then yelled, "Zeus! Shadows of Dusk Attack!" Zeus leapt out of the blade and gave out an ear-splitting roar before launching itself at Chaos's true form.

The two beasts clashed together, Chaos and Brooklyn gritting their teeth as Zeus and Chaos fought to defeat the other, twisting around each other. The stakes were too high and neither side refused to lose. Chaos began to bleed from one of his nostrils but didn't stop the attack that was straining Takao's already weakened body. Brooklyn felt blood run down from the side of his mouth but didn't wipe it away. He couldn't afford the distraction.

Just when it seemed that the battle would end with a draw, Zeus screamed and the black beyblade that belonged to Brooklyn shattered. Brooklyn's eyes widened and Chaos yelled loudly. The serpentine creature hit Brooklyn right on the chest and he screamed as he felt as if his whole body had exploded. The ceiling of the room was destroyed, revealing a bright blue sky that was littered with several white clouds. _What a beautiful sky_ , Brooklyn thought as he crashed into the wall. The battle was over. He had lost.

 _I'm so sorry . . . I tried my best . . ._

Chaos's true form vanished and his blade stopped spinning before it broke, leaving behind only the bit-chip. Chaos fell to his knees, gasping for breath. He wiped away the blood from his nose and stood up, retrieving his bit-chip. He huffed, "That was close. If I had continued, this body could've been destroyed."

He turned to look at Brooklyn. The red head was laying down in a pile of rubble, his blue eyes staring at the sky but not moving. He wasn't dead, as Chaos could see his chest rising and falling with each ragged breath he took. He was practically covered in blood and Chaos knew that he probably looked like that too.

"Well, well . . . looks like I win this game." He laughed before falling to the ground. He groaned, "Damn. I did work this body to its limit . . ."

" **You're such an idiot, Chaos."** Chaos looked up to see Ann looking down at him, a disappointed look in her eyes. She shook her head and helped him sit up, looking at him with narrowed eyes, **"You could've ended this quickly but you preferred toying with him. Look what happened because of that."**

"You know how I am." Chaos replied with a slight grin before frowning, "Where's Hecate and Nemesis?" He hadn't noticed it right away before but he could only hear about nine voices rather than eleven. It took him a bit longer to realize it had been Nemesis and Hecate's voice that had been missing.

" **While you were busy playing with Zeus's tamer,"** Ann spared a glance at Brooklyn's unmoving body before turning to look at Chaos again, **"we decided to play with Julia and Kaori. Mental and emotional pain works better than physical, I'm afraid. It's so simple to strip away their identities than to break their bones."**

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Chaos asked as he stood on his trembling legs.

Ann smiled eerily, **"Hecate and Nemesis are currently in the bodies of their tamers, tearing their minds apart, as we speak. If this torture succeeds the way we want it to, Julia and Kaori will be no more."**

"I see," Chaos smirked as the two made their way towards Brooklyn, Ann picking up the broken pieces of Zeus, "How's my tamer?"

" **Sleeping again, I think."**

Chaos frowned, "That's all he ever does. Do you think that's normal?" They were now standing in front of Brooklyn, who stared at them with unfocused eyes. Ann crouched down and placed a hand on Brooklyn's forehead. His eyes fluttered shut against his will, falling into the darkness of sleep. Chaos's eyes began to glow and he smiled gently, "Zeus . . . it's time to wake up."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"The Forsaken Fallen killed them? They didn't seal them away?" Kenny questioned as he fixed his glasses. Night-Max flinched and that was all the confirmation that they needed to realize that Eden's Rapture had been killed by the Forsaken Fallen. Max was horrified by the images running through Night's mind and withdrew from them. Daichi's eyes widened when he saw a single tear run down the white eye that belonged to Night.

" _They had broken the rules that we had been given when we arrived on earth. They had massacred humans and called themselves gods of the universe, claiming themselves to be above the Elders that had created us. A grave offense that could only be solved through their deaths."_ He replied calmly, wiping away the stray tear, _"So the Forsaken Fallen were forced to play the role of executioners. A role that Chaos did not seem to mind, as it would satisfy his vengeance. The battle lasted for twenty-eight days and it ended when Chaos ran the Dagger of the Elders through Erebus's heart."_

Max tried to keep away Night's memories but he saw it. Several corpses laid on the ground, some of them charred beyond recognition and others torn apart. Ten warriors were watching something, all of them on their knees and covered in blood. Chaos was holding the limp body of another – Erebus – in his arm while one hand was plunging a golden dagger into the heart of Erebus. Shiny tears were running down Chaos's cheeks as the dark, lifeless eyes of Erebus stared at the dark sky.

" _Losing Sasha and killing Erebus was too big of an emotional strain on Chaos's confused and erratic mind and he was slowly losing his sanity. He started blaming the humans because they had been the ones to start whispering those dark to Erebus._

" _His hatred started growing when the other holy beasts started avoiding him and spent their days with the humans. I saw Chaos turn from a gentle and kind spirit to the malicious and vindictive person he is now. Word must have reached the Elders that Chaos was 'defecting' and ordered that Chaos and the ones that had helped Chaos kill Eden's Rapture – the Forsaken Fallen – were to be sealed away. The sacred spirits had no choice but to comply. One by one, the members of the Forsaken Fallen were forced into deep slumbers by the ones that they considered siblings."_

Nami looked at Aya and then at Rin before looking at her clenched hands. If she had been ordered to kill or seal away the people she considered her brothers and sisters, would she have had the strength? No. Would she have felt betrayed if Aya, Hikaru, Riku, Shun and Rin abandoned her? Yes. Would she hate them? . . . Probably.

Is that why the Forsaken Fallen resented the bit-beasts so much?

" _Chaos and I were visiting Sasha and Erebus's grave when we were ambushed. As Griffolyon, Amphilyon, Salamalyon and Unicolyon held me down, I was sealed away and Chaos could only watch as I vanished and then he was sealed too. I slumbered for centuries and it was only recently that the power of Zeus and Dragoon resonated through my prison, allowing me to open my eyes for the first time in so long. That is my tale and the tragic tale of the Forsaken Fallen."_

"Tragic?" Rin snorted as he stood up to leave.

Night-Max raised an eyebrow, _"Do you not sympathize with what Chaos lived through, Rin?"_ That made Rin pause and turn around to the ancient spirit and Night internally squeaked at the death glare he was shooting at him.

Rin's eyes narrowed as he scowled, "No matter the pain you feel, you have to have the strength to continue living. If you do nothing but regret and hold such a petty grudge, you're nothing but an unnecessary part in this cruel world. He clung to the past and that was his downfall. This story will not make me sympathize with them. Why do you justify their actions? In the end, all the acts they did were done-." Rin stopped talking and screamed in pain, immediately grabbing his left wrist.

"What's wrong?" Hilary asked as Rin fell, Ray standing up immediately and catching him before he fell.

"Rin-san, what happened to-aggh!" Shun cried out and Hikaru let out a scream too. Hiro gave out a small cry but immediately stopped, even though pain was evident in his eyes. Nami and Aya both cried out in pain as well and Riku whimpered. All of them grabbed their left wrists as they screamed.

Ray rolled up Rin's left sleeve and his eyes widened, "What? What is this?" A single mark was there but it looked as if it had been branded into the skin rather than tattooed. It was a symbol that had eight arrows organized in a radial pattern, all of the arrows pointing outward. The ancient mark of Chaos.

"How the hell did he do this?" Aya asked as she leaned on Hilary, looking at the brand mark that had appeared from thin air, "There has to be an explanation for this. What do you think, Night?"

Night-Max was about to speak when suddenly he gasped and fell forward. Daichi caught him before he face-planted, "Hey, are you alright? Max? Night?" Max-Night looked up, looking a little tired. They were a little surprised when they were met by two blue eyes rather than the bi-colored eyes.

"Did you feel that?" Max asked before closing his eyes, "Chaos . . . showed his true form."

"His true form?" Kai asked before frowning when he felt Dranzer shaking in his pocket. He took out the shaking blade and then looked at Max, "How powerful are the Forsaken Fallen? Do we have the strength to defeat them?"

Max opened his eyes and his left eye was white once again, meaning that Night was back, _"At your current power, I doubt that you would be able to defeat them. Which is where I come in."_ He stood up and the others followed suit, _"Max, Ray, Kai, Daichi . . . I'm going to help you achieve the next level."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: How was that for my first beybattle? If you think it was awful, please say it in nice words. I tried hard. Poor Brooklyn, though. Why do I make my favorite characters suffer so much? Man, I'm so cruel. . .**

 **Rin: At least you're aware of that.**

 **Aya: Chapter recap: Brooklyn vs. Chaos, the story of the Forsaken Fallen is revealed, brand marks appear on the left wrists of the tamers and Night is taking the G-Revolutions to . . . the next level? Huh?**

 **Riku: Something that will be revealed in the next chapter.**

 **Hilary: Tell us what you think Night means by that.**

 **Erebus: Stay tune for chapter 9.**

 **Chaos: See ya.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Chapter 9: Beautiful Alone**

 **Song: Beautiful Alone by Weiss**


	10. Chapter 9: Beautiful Alone

**Warning: This chapter contains terrible jokes. Please refrain from groaning aloud at them.**

 **Anime: I had to put the warning. It'll help when you reach that part. Anyways, today is November 27 (in my time zone), so happy birthday to Nami Sakamoto! And just in time for this chapter, dear! We're going to see a lot of things here, kinda.**

 **Nami: We'll see what happened to Tyson, Night will explain what the next level is, Rin, Kai and Aya will be exploring where the Hollow Tree of Life is at and . . . *her mouth gets covered by Anime***

 **Anime: No spoilers! Anyways, to the chapter. It's a bit more light-hearted than the previous ones. . . Well, I tried to make it light-hearted. Props for trying, right? A big hug to my supportive readers! Thank you all, especially my wonderful reviewers! Please pardon if there are grammar mistakes.**

 **Nami: Anime doesn't own Beyblade. It's pretty obvious, isn't it?**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **9: Beautiful Alone**

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Area Unknown_

Tyson was alone in a dark room that he didn't recognize. He had probably been moved here when he had fallen asleep, when Kaori had been taken. He sat up and looked around the room. Furniture-less, as usual. Did Chaos have a grudge against humans and furniture?

Tyson stood up on his weak legs and walked around, making sure not to trip on the ridiculous robes he was still wearing. He missed his old clothes. He was surprised that Chaos and Brooklyn didn't trip on the robes. Then again, it seemed as if Chaos and Brooklyn were born to wear robes. Can some people not wear regular clothes or something?

Just as he was about to check if the door was locked, he heard screaming coming from outside. "Kaori?!" He called out but then a second voice joined Kaori's screams. Was that Julia? He tried to open the door but it was locked. He started banging on it, "Kaori, I'm coming, don't worry!" He grunted and began to kick the door, "Stupid door! Let me out!"

"Tyson!" Kaori screamed, "I'm sorry!"

"Kaori? Come on, Kaori, what are you saying? Sorry for what? You haven't done anything wrong!" Tyson yelled as he tackled the door, even though it still wouldn't budge. He had to save them. He had to!

"I don't think I'll keep my promise."

Tyson stopped banging at the door when he heard that, his eyes wide. Kaori's words rang through his head and it left him numb. He shook his head in disbelief, refusing to believe what the girl was saying, "No, no, no, no, you're stronger than that! You can keep that promise! We'll get out of here! We'll save Takao and Brooklyn and Ann and Julia. You can't give up! Don't give up, Kaori!"

"I'm sorry, Tyson! I failed!"

Kaori gave out a scream and stopped talking. All Tyson could hear was the horrified and pained screams of Julia. He started hitting the door again with more force, "Kaori? Kaori!" He cried out in frustration when he still couldn't hear the voice of the young teen that he had come to see as a friend. Was she gone?

"No way! Kaori is stronger than that!" He said as he kicked the door once more. Then, he heard it. Once Julia stopped screaming, he started hearing a voice start laughing maniacally. He paused as the laughter became louder and he felt chills when the voice finally spoke.

"At long last . . . I'm free."

Tyson screamed, punching the door. He fell to his knees, angry tears threatening to fall. He refused to cry, however, so none fell. He leaned his forehead on the door, feeling so tired and defeated.

Kaori was gone.

Brooklyn was gone.

Takao was gone.

Ann was gone.

Julia was probably gone too.

But he was still here.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Granger Dojo, Bey City, Japan_

"Next level . . .?" Ray questioned. Kai and Daichi were just as confused over that statement while they could see confusion dancing in Max's blue eye. Apparently, not even he knew what Night was talking about. That was saying something, as he was sharing a body with the bit-beast.

Night-Max nodded, _"As far as I know, you can feel the pain of your bit-beasts and have been able to call them at will. Only Tyson has held a conversation with his holy beast, meaning he is close to achieving the level I am talking about."_

"Stop talking in circles and tell us." Rin said, still leaning on Ray for support and still holding his wrist where the brand mark had appeared. He pushed himself away from the neko-jin and stared at Night for a long time, "What is it that you're suggesting?"

" _The next level . . . Max has achieved without even knowing about it."_ Night-Max chuckled. Within their shared mind, Max stared at him in disbelief, waiting for him to elaborate. How could he have done something without knowing about it?

" _The next level is merging with your beast and sharing the same body and mind."_ He said and then smiled, _"A perfect example is how Max and I share this body. Of course, since I'm not his true bit-beast, it is a little imperfect. He just has to learn how to do the same with Draciel and he'll powerful enough to battle the Forsaken Fallen."_

"Are you saying that the Forsaken Fallen have achieved this level?" Nami asked as she started rubbing her left arm nervously. When everyone turned to her, she continued, her head down, "I mean, we do share a mind and body with them. That means that-."

" _Your union with the Forsaken Fallen is imperfect as well."_ Night-Max interrupted Nami, _"You do not have control over your body when the Forsaken Fallen possess you and that is the point of the union: for both the tamer and the holy beast to become one."_

"Is it hard to do that?" Hilary questioned.

Night-Max shrugged, _"It depends on how well you and your beast connect. Kai may be the one that can easily achieve this union. After all, he has been with Dranzer the longest and the two have forged a powerful bond. Ray, Daichi, Max, you might struggle a little. Kenny, it'll be hard for you to achieve this level, considering the situation that Dizzara is in."_

"Huh?!" Kenny started, holding the laptop that currently held the female bit-beast Night was talking about, "You're telling me that I'm going to achieve the same level too?"

" _Mmhmm!"_ Night-Max said happily, ignoring how distraught Kenny looked at the news, _"You are a tamer, after all. We will need every holy beast for this to work out. Dizzara was a slacker at times but she is strong. All we have to do is merge you with her and you will be helping us defeat the Forsaken Fallen."_

'Night, I don't know whether that was a compliment or not.' Dizzi replied.

" _Take as you will, Dizzara."_ Night-Max replied cheerfully.

"Great . . ." Kenny mumbled. He was probably going to struggle a lot with this. He wasn't as good as Daichi, Max and Ray. He couldn't even compare himself with Kai's skills. If he was lucky, Night would immediately deem him a lost cause and he wouldn't have to go through all the tough work.

"Come on, Chief," Hikaru grinned, wrapping an arm around Kenny's shoulder, startling the genius because Hikaru didn't do this to anyone but Shun, "The more the merrier, right?" He laughed as he noticed Kenny visibly deflate but was silenced by Shun, who elbowed his arm and gave him a stern look.

"When will this training start?" Kai questioned the wise spirit.

Night-Max put a hand under his chin in contemplation, his eyebrows furrowed, _"As soon as possible, I suppose. I'll start with Kenny and Daichi. Is that alright with you, Ray? Max? Kai?"_

' _Okay, Night. I'll wait.'_

"Yeah," Ray nodded, "Besides, I want to talk with Riku about something." Riku blinked in confusion at that, staring at Ray with a confused look in his face. Did Ray want to talk about the bond between Dark Driger and Driger? Maybe even talk a little about Metal Driger? If that was the case, though, he'd want to talk with Hiro as well.

Night-Max looked at both of them with his perceptive bi-colored eyes and then nodded, _"Alright. What will the rest of you be doing while I work with Daichi, Strata Dragoon, Kenny and Dizzara?"_

"We can visit my grandmother or continue with our research," Hilary suggested.

"I was just about to suggest the same thing," Rin said, nodding at Hilary. Aya huffed, a little jealous that Rin acknowledged Hilary's intelligence but not her own. Rin continued, "I still want to research about the Hollow Tree of Life. However, Nami made a good point earlier. I cannot go alone."

"I'll go with you!" Aya latched herself on his arm, much to Rin's annoyance, "And Kai will come too! After all, two tamers of the Forsaken Fallen alone is dangerous. With Kai, we'll have the support of Dranzer!"

"You've got a good point, Aya." Nami muttered, "So Aya, Kai and Rin will be looking at the records in the library. Ray, Riku, Night, Max, Daichi and Kenny will stay here and hold down the fort. That means Hiro-nii, Hikaru, Shun, Hilary and I will go to visit Hilary's grandmother, right?"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Daichi said with a nod.

"Be careful, all of you. Got it?" Hiro directed the statement at all of them. He had a bad feeling but he couldn't place it. Where was this bad feeling coming from? He hoped that he was just feeling paranoid. Then again, he did get a bad feeling the day that Tyson and Brooklyn were kidnapped.

 _Please_ , Hiro prayed to no deity in particular, _don't let harm befall any of them. And allow us to find my brother, Brooklyn and Kaori. Please. . ._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Bey City, Japan_

"It's like we're on a date!" Aya gushed as she walked in between Rin and Kai. She giggled and Rin rolled his eyes at her girly actions. The three of them were heading towards the library, having left as soon as Night dismissed them. The sooner they found the information they needed, the better. Before they left, though, they made sure Kai had Dranzer in his pocket. Just in case Chaos and the others showed up.

Aya stopped and looked up at the sky, her smile gone and replaced with a serious look, "It's such a nice day, don't you think? Everything feels so normal. Everyone is just enjoying this wonderful day. Unknown to everyone, though, there are eleven wicked holy beasts that wish to destroy this peace."

"If we can avoid the destruction of this world, we will." Rin replied before holding Aya's hand. She blushed at the action but Rin didn't seem affected by it, "Don't worry about that, Aya. We will beat them. I told you that I'd never let us get thrown into the darkness again. And that's a promise."

Kai looked away from the two, feeling as if he was intruding. He didn't share the same painful memories as they did. He held bad memories of the Abbey but he hardly remembered those. Aya and Rin hadn't forgotten about their memories in captivity and Kai hated to say that he pitied them. They didn't deserve pity. They deserved support. They all did.

"You don't have to worry either, Rin!" Aya said happily before reaching out and holding Kai's hand before giving both half-Russians a wide grin, "And you don't have to worry either, Kai! We'll all be okay! After all, we're all looking out for each other! With all of us watching each other's backs, nothing can stop us!"

Rin smiled and Kai smirked, "Look at that. Another smile has been dragged out of the old man." Aya laughed at Kai's comment and Rin glared at him, his cheeks turning pink due to embarrassment.

"Are you still hell-bent on making me smile?" Rin questioned the slate-haired teenager, remembering the words Kai had said to him that day on the bridge in Russia almost two weeks ago, "I was sure you had given up on that, considering you haven't done anything to make me smile."

"Who would ever give up on that?" Aya said with a small laugh, "Mind if I join you in this game, Kai? In fact, let's have a competition on who can make Rin smile more!" Upon seeing the competitive glint in her eyes, Kai smirked and nodded while Rin tried to, in vain, release Aya's hold in his hand.

"What's the prize?" Kai questioned.

Rin groaned, "You two better not make it into a damn competition. . ."

"Bragging rights. Not a lot of people can brag and say they made Rin Mizushima smile." Aya replied with a smirk that matched Kai's.

"You're on, Orikasa."

Rin sighed, "I can feel the incoming headache . . ."

"Okay, on what side does a tiger have the most stripes? On the outside!" Aya replied with a big grin, only to be met with matching detached faces from both of the males she was walking with. She huffed, "Okay, that didn't work. Man, I was sure that it would at least make you smile a bit."

"I'd tell you a joke about corn but I can't." Kai paused for a moment before replying, "It's too corny." Aya started laughing while Rin rolled his eyes in annoyance, rubbing his forehead so his eventual headache wouldn't be too bad.

"Not bad, Kai," Aya smiled, "Alright, what part of a fish weighs the most? The scales!" Kai rolled his eyes but seemed to be amused, while Rin was stabbing both of them inside his mind.

"What happens to an air conditioner when you pull its plug? It loses its cool."

"A life without you is like a broken pencil. It has no point."

"Is this a new form of punishment?" Rin grumbled. He paused when he noticed Aya and Kai had stopped walking and were grinning at him, Aya releasing her hold on both boys to cover her big grin with both of her hands. He frowned and then paled when he realized what he had said, "No-."

" _Pun_ ishment? You're a natural at puns, Rin!" Aya laughed, doubling over while Kai snickered. Rin groaned and started walking away from them quickly, mumbling in German. When he reached an overpass, he stopped walking, standing in the middle of the bridge. This place felt oddly familiar. Wait, he remembered now. He had come here once about three years ago to visit Kai and Voltaire and had stopped to see what was going down below. And so, he had witnessed that fateful meeting and the first beybattle between the eventual rivals.

" _Hey! Just who do you think you are, coming around here like that? Some kind of tough guy?"_

" _The name is . . . Kai. I'm leader of the Blade Sharks, kid."_

" _Huh? Let's play."_

" _Challenge accepted."_

Rin looked down the bridge and smiled. It seemed like so long ago, when Tyson and Kai first met. Back then, life had been simpler for all of them. The Forsaken Fallen was still sealed away, Boris hadn't yet launched any of his evil schemes, no one other than Kai and the Blade Sharks were trying to find bit-beasts. . .

 _How would things have been if Kai and Tyson had never met?_

"Since when does Rin make jokes?" Aya asked Kai, her voice filled with mirth.

"Who knows, Aya." Kai replied.

Rin felt the mark in his wrist start burning and he grabbed it, gritting his teeth. Aya and Kai hadn't noticed but Rin could feel the presence of . . . Was it truly _that_ beast? If so, they had to get away.

"Get down!" Rin yelled, tackling both of them to the ground. Just as they were about to complain, Aya and Kai both saw a fireball zoom past the place they had been standing on not too long ago.

"It's them." Aya muttered so softly that only Kai, who was close to her, heard. Flashbacks of those days ran through her mind and she froze, feeling that familiar fear washing through her body. It happened ten years ago. Why was she still scared?

"Are you both okay?" Rin asked, looking down at Aya and Kai as he was leaning over them both. He never got a response from them as he felt something wrap itself around his neck, wrists, waist and ankles. He gasped for air as he was lifted up, struggling as he was lifted towards the sky by black wisps.

"Rin!" Aya yelled as she and Kai got to their feet quickly, Aya leaning slightly on Kai.

Kai pushed Aya behind him and took out Dranzer and his launcher, glaring at the one who had the black tendrils wrapped around Rin. The figure appeared to be a female, judging by the slender figure. As soon as the female stepped out of the mist, Aya gasped, eyes wide in recognition, "K-Kaori?!"

Kai frowned, looking at the girl in front of him carefully. She didn't look like the girl that the Forsaken Fallen had kidnapped. "No. That girl is not Kaori Kumai. That's Nemesis."

"No. . ." Aya muttered, shaking her head in disbelief, "It can't be true."

"Nice to see you again, Aya, Rin. It's been a very long time." Nemesis grinned, her smile looking feral. Her eyes were a bright golden with black spots and her short hair was dark brown. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder dark brown dress with sleeves that reached up to her elbows and had a silver necklace around her neck. Spinning in front of her was a black and golden blade that was surrounded by a black aura.

"You . . . Give Kaori back and release Rin!" Aya yelled, trying to get in front of Kai before he pushed her behind him again. Kai knew how reckless Aya was. He had to keep her safe and he had to save Rin. At the moment, he was concentrating on keep Aya safe.

"Why would we do that?" Another voice chimed in and Aya gasped, grabbing a hold of Kai's arm. Kai was surprised that she was shaking, considering how tough Aya was. Rin opened his eyes wide at that voice as well.

Another figure that was also feminine came out of the mist and Aya frowned, recognizing who was in front of her, "Hecate . . . you're here as well, huh?"

Hecate smiled at her happily, "Julia was easy to convince. She was so scared as it was when she first saw me. One push from me and she was gone." She laughed and Kai frowned, the grip on his launcher tight. This was bad.

Hecate had dual colored hair the same way Julia had, except that the top part of her hair was a dark purple and the bottom part was black. She was wearing a body hugging, off-the-shoulder black dress with a right knee-high slit and with sleeves that made it up to her arms. Her blade was spinning in front of her and was black and purple.

"Two of the Forsaken Fallen are here?" Rin questioned, looking at the two dark bit-beasts with his eyes narrowed. The Forsaken Fallen didn't tend to make appearances in twos. Either one showed up or it was all of them.

Hecate laughed, as if Rin's comment had been funny, "Of course not, silly! We were excited to walk around in our own bodies for the first time in so long that we arrived before them."

"Them?" Aya asked and she gasped, "Kai, that means he's coming too!" Kai stiffened, knowing exactly who Aya was talking about. He had met him recently, after all. And it had not been a pleasant experience for him. Was he more intimidating in dreams or in reality?

" **How perceptive of you, Aya!"** Several voices yelled and Kai and Aya turned to see a young girl walking towards them. The girl had strawberry-blonde hair, glassy light blue eyes and pale skin. She was wearing a short-sleeved light green dress, a silver circlet and, around her neck, was a heart-shaped crystal. She was wearing a bracelet that held eight bit-chips, much to their surprise.

"Ann?" Rin gasped out, his eyes wide, "But they told me that you had died . . . They told me that I had killed you!" Aya winced while Kai blinked in surprise. Killed? Rin had killed someone?

Ann chuckled, the chuckle sounding eerie as there were multiple voices doing that simple action, **"Poor, naïve Rin. Of course we'd tell you something so cruel. If making you believe you had killed four of your friends would make you succumb to the darkness . . . Well, we had to make you fall."**

"Bastards."

"Language," Hecate tutted, placing a hand on her hip in what was a sign of disapproval, "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"I can't because you killed her!" Rin spat out angrily, "Now where is he? Where is the man that started all of this because his crazy brother killed his girlfriend?" The black tendrils around Rin's neck tightened and he gasped for breath, his eyes widening.

"How dare you speak so idly of Erebus and Sasha. . ."

"He's here." Aya whispered and _he_ appeared from the mist. He looked the same as he had in the dream, Kai noted, except he didn't look as calm. He looked angry, probably angry over Rin's comment. Obviously, Sasha and Erebus were still sore topics for the psychopathic bit-beast.

"Chaos." Kai said calmly.

"Hello, tamer of the traitorous phoenix," Chaos greeted, glaring at Kai. Kai and Aya stiffened upon noticing that his usually crimson eyes were now pure black, "This time, you will not be saved by that illusion of Night that Dranzer created."

"Illusion?" Aya questioned before she scoffed, "Are you that much of an idiot, Chaos? That wasn't an illusion. Night's seal has been destroyed and he is now free. He saved Kai from that hellish dream you put him in."

"Is that so?" Chaos asked and Rin frowned, noticing the large dark aura he was showing. This wasn't good. What got him so angry? It hadn't been his comment of Sasha and Erebus. No, he had been angry before he had even showed up. But why was that?

"You know," Chaos whispered darkly, his bangs hiding his eyes, "when I first saw you, you and Rin were in that bridge in Russia, acting as if you were best friends. And you know what I decided that day?" He lifted his head, his eyes now crimson again, "I decided that you'd be the first to die, Kai Hiwatari."

"Dark Flame Spiral!"

Chaos dodged a flame vortex that had been aimed towards him and Kai and Aya, along with the others present, looked up to see that it had been Rin who had aimed that attack at Chaos. Kai paused, seeing Rin's hair and eyes were flaming red but he didn't seem to be possessed the way Kaori, Ann and Julia were.

"The nerve." Hecate muttered before closing her hands, forming a fist. Rin screamed as the coils around his body tightened, his hair and eyes going back to normal. Kai was ready to launch his blade and call out Dranzer when a water ball from behind appeared and hit Hecate, making her yell in pain.

"Don't you dare touch Rin!" Aya said, walking forward until she was standing next to Kai. Kai stared at her, seeing that her hair was now purple but her eyes remained the same color as always. "And I'll never allow you to hurt Kai!"

" **My, our tamers are so feisty."** Ann said with a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Kai asked.

Ann smirked, her eyes flashing red, **"Oh, nothing at all, of course. I'm just itching to kill you, Kai Hiwatari. That'll be so fun. Don't you think so, Rin?"**

"I'm not gonna bend to your will, Yami Suzaku." Rin growled out.

Ann's eyes widened in what appeared to be shock before her eyes turned golden, the smirk she had now looked beast-like, **"What an audacious brat. . . Addressing my sister like that, as if you know her . . . Heh. This will teach you a lesson."** She raised her hand towards Rin and Kai could see electricity gathering in her fingertips.

"No!" Aya yelled, her hair turning blonde once again, "Don't do it!"

" **Black Lightning Roar."**

The scream of pain that wrenched itself from Rin's mouth was one that would haunt Kai for years to come. He had enough. He was not going to stand by as they tortured his childhood friend. He launched his blade at Ann with a cry.

After that, everything seemed to go in slow motion.

Just as the blade was about to make contact with the bracelet filled with bit-chips, just as Chaos, Nemesis and Hecate were about to launch themselves at Kai, just as Aya was about to place herself between the members of the Forsaken Fallen and Kai, they all heard an unfamiliar voice speak from above:

"Ruler of the Absolute Shadows Attack."

Everything around Kai seemed to explode and he was blown away by the explosion. He could hear a ringing coming from his left ear before he landed harshly on the ground. The world seemed to have gone silent in that moment and he couldn't feel anything. He was floating.

' _Don't die, Kai. There is still much to do. Don't die, Kai.'_

After that, everything turned dark.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Yeah . . . The next chapter is not going to be as happy as this one. In fact, the story is probably going to get depressing and a bit dark from now on. Sorry. . . But I did try to soften the blow by adding those happy moments. That counts for something, right?**

 **Erebus: No, it doesn't.**

 **Sasha: Well, at least you tried. And that's what matters the most, right?**

 **Anime: I suppose so. Read and review, okay? I really love seeing reviews, ya know! They're fun to read. Oh, you can also check out the numerous covers I've made for MIAB in my DA account. You can find that in my Bio.**

 **Erebus: Until next time.**

 **Sasha: See you in chapter 10!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **~Omake~**

 **Kai's Scarf**

 _Moscow, Russia_

"It's really cold here." Aya shivered, her teeth clattering. Rin and Kai both turned to the shaking teen, who had arrive in Russia in a black sweater, a black skirt and white socks that made it up to her knees. It was hardly the attire worn for a winter in Russia.

"Then why'd you pick those clothes?" Kai questioned her.

"Because they looked really nice." Aya replied. She turned to them, "Well, Kai . . . can you lend me your scarf? I think I need the extra warmth."

"He's not going to give you his scarf." Rin replied, giving her a pair of black gloves that she accepted with glee. "It's like a part of his body. He's never taken it off since I've known him. He probably sleeps with it, too."

"That's not true." Aya interjected, "He does take it off to sleep and, in Season 2, he didn't wear the scarf at all!"

"Season 2?" Both half-Russians questioned.

"Oops, I broke the fourth wall," She said, giggling, "So Kai can let me borrow his scarf."

"I'd advise otherwise." Rin told Aya.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because of this." Kai removed his scarf and wrapped it around Rin's neck. Rin gave out a yelp and fell backwards, trying to remove the scarf but in vain. Aya gave out a squeak of surprise.

"How heavy is that thing?!" She questioned before sighing, "Okay, I guess that's a valid reason for you not lending your scarf to people. But, now I have a better question. Why does your eye color change in every season?"

"Blame the animators." Was Kai's reply.

"Can someone help me get this thing off?!" Rin cried out.

 **~I can't be the only one who questioned how much Kai's scarf weighs. It has destroyed a rock/boulder in Episode 30 of G-Revolution and, in the Japanese version when Brooklyn and Kai beybattle for the first time and Kai removes his scarf, he breaks this device. So how much does it weigh? And don't get me started on Kai's every changing eye color. That just raises several questions. . .** __

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: It's Too Late**

 **Song: It's Too Late by Weiss**


	11. Chapter 10: It's Too Late

**Anime: Sorry about that last cliffhanger, you guys. But it was begging to be written. To make up for it, I have this new chapter. Are you happy? Say you are. Because today's update was done in 12-2-15 in my timezone. In other words, it's Rin's birthday! Ta-da!**

 **Rin: Am I supposed to cheer for my birthday?**

 **Anime: Um, yes? Don't tell me you're mad at me for that last chapter.**

 **Rin: *glare***

 **Anime: Eep.**

 **Tyson: Thank you to the reviewers and readers. We're glad that this story is turning out to look so well. KinomiyaHiwatari, thank you so much for your support and Miley-chan for being able to handle Anime's rants. Thank you to the busy Little. A. Granger who still reads this despite her busy schedule. And thank you to the new reviewer James Birdsong. All of you are great.**

 **Chaos: We hope you enjoy this chapter, which is dedicated to all of you.**

 **Rin: Anime does not own Beyblade. You know that's a good thing, right?**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Quote of the Chapter**

" _ **To hate something that you used to love is such a painful feeling."**_

 _ **Ciel Phantomhive (Black Butler)**_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **10: It's Too Late**

' _Kai! Kai, wake up. I need you to go back.'_ A voice said to Kai. Kai opened his eyes to see he was floating in a dark place. He stood upright but he didn't feel a floor underneath him. He felt nothing. Where was he?

' _Kai, you cannot fall. I know you have the strength to not fall.'_ Kai looked around, trying to find the source of the voice but he saw no one around. Who was it that was calling him? The voice sounded familiar but, at the same time, he did not recognize it. Who was it?

' _Who are you?'_ Kai asked but his lips didn't move. Did he just speak telepathically? He didn't think that was possible. That brought upon another question, _'Where am I?'_

' _You are in your soul room, a place where we can meet. As for who I am. . . Don't you recognize the voice of your partner?'_ The voice said, the last part sounding giddy, _'After all, we've been partners for a very long time, even though this is the first time we've held a conversation.'_

' _My partner?'_ Kai wondered before he outstretched his hand, trying to reach out for the one that had always been by his side, _'Dranzer?'_

A hand clasped Kai's and Kai's eyes widened when he saw a young man around his age materialize in front of him. The young man hadtwo-toned hair just like he did. The front part of his hair was red but the back was white while his eyes were red like flames. He had majestic red wings that Kai recognized. This was his bit-beast. This was his partner Dranzer.

Dranzer smiled, _'It's nice to see you like this, Kai. I've waited for this moment for so long. Ever since we first met, I think. I'm glad that the day has arrived, partner. However, you must go back. You cannot remain here for too long. There are people that need your power to keep on going.'_

' _Do they really need me?'_ Kai questioned, looking away, _'I think that-.'_ He flinched when felt something hit his cheek and he was surprised when he realized it was because Dranzer had slapped him. _'What was that for?'_ Kai frowned, a hand resting on his abused cheek.

' _That is not the Kai Hiwatari I have grown to know.'_ Dranzer said, eyes narrowed, _'Don't let Chaos's words get to you, alright? Night's right. Don't dwell in the past. Things happen for a reason, after all.'_

' _I-.'_ Dranzer slapped Kai again.

' _Don't doubt yourself!'_ Dranzer huffed before his eyes softened, _'But, if you still doubt your strength, Kai . . . then believe in my strength. Without you, I am incomplete. Then again, I've been incomplete since the moment I separated and became two.'_

Kai thought back to what Rin had told him about Dark Dranzer and Dranzer's relationship, _'You mean when you stopped being Suzaku and became Dark Dranzer and Dranzer?'_

Dranzer nodded, looking into the darkness that surrounded them, _'Once I stopped being Hikari-Suzaku and started calling myself Dranzer, I thought I felt complete. I was a fool, of course. I needed my other half to be complete. That changed when we met. When I'm by your side, I don't feel incomplete. I've come to realize that's what a tamer and holy beast should feel. They should feel whole when they're together because that is what we do.'_

Kai smiled and took Dranzer's hand, _'We complete the other.'_

Dranzer nodded, _'So raise your head up high, Kai. Even if you doubt yourself, know that I don't doubt your power. I believe in your strength. So believe in mine, alright?'_

Kai nodded, _'Yeah, I will.'_

' _Now that that's outta the way, it's time to wake up. We have work to do.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Bey City, Japan_

When Kai finally came to, the first thing he noticed is that Aya was on top of him, as if she was shielding him with her body. He sat up, wincing in pain, and looked around. The area where they had been with the Forsaken Fallen was destroyed. The familiar bridge was in pieces. But Kai couldn't see Chaos, Nemesis, Hecate, Ann or Rin anywhere.

"Aya?" He called out, shaking the unconscious girl's shoulder gently. When she remained unresponsive, Kai shook her again, "Aya, get up. Aya. . ." When she still didn't move, Kai grabbed her wrist and felt relief wash over him when he felt her pulse.

Who had fired that attack? Whoever it had been, they sure knew how to inflict damage. Kai looked around once again, trying to spot Dranzer amidst the rubble. The Forsaken Fallen didn't take Dranzer too, right? After all, they had to be close to each other to have spoken with each other. So he couldn't have been taken. Not the way they had taken Rin. . . That was the moment that the events that had happened earlier came back and Kai punched the ground with a growl.

Rin had been taken.

"Dammit." Kai hissed, running a hand through his hair. Despite everything, he had been unable to keep Rin from being taken into the darkness once again. Unlike last time, Kai had been there when Chaos and the Forsaken Fallen had taken Rin. Unlike last time, Kai had power. But none of that mattered now. He had been too powerless to stop them from taking Rin. He had just stood there as Rin was tortured, as he was taken back to the place he feared the most.

He really was a terrible friend.

' _Believe in yourself!'_

 _I'm trying Dranzer. Really. I am trying to . . . It's just hard to believe in yourself when you can't do anything right. It's hard to believe in yourself when you can't help but see your weaknesses instead of your strengths._

Aya stirred above him and opened her eyes weakly, "K-Kai . . .?"

"I'm here." He muttered and Aya sat up weakly, Kai steadying the trembling girl. Kai winced when he saw that she was bleeding from the side of her head. She was probably hit by debris when she was protecting him.

 _How pathetic am I? I was protected by the girl I needed to protect._

' _Kai, don't beat yourself over it. Aya wanted to protect you. It was her choice. Please, don't think badly of yourself, partner.'_

"Where are they . . .?" She asked, a hand coming to touch the side of her head where she was bleeding. She winced but didn't cry out like Kai had expected of her. Her eyes widened, "Rin! Kai, where's Rin?" Kai looked away, not bearing to see her expressive eyes. Guilt was threatening to consume him, especially when Aya continued to ask where Rin was. A part of her must have realized that he was gone but she was probably in denial.

' _Kai . . . Be strong. Help her.'_

"Kai . . . please lie to me." She whispered, "Please tell me that Rin's okay. Tell me he's not in their hands. Please. Please tell me that everything's okay." She sniffed, feeling so helpless. She wanted to hear lies. She didn't want the truth. If she heard the truth, then that meant she had to accept that Rin had been taken back.

"I'm sorry, Aya." Kai said weakly. Those words were enough to bring Aya to tears. She sobbed weakly and hugged Kai, shaking as she tried to stop the tears but in vain. Kai didn't enjoy physical contact but he knew Aya needed to be comforted. To Aya, Rin was a best friend, maybe even a brother. Perhaps she confused that love for something else but Kai knew that Aya probably didn't love Rin in the way she thought she did. But she did love him and losing him like this was hard on her.

"I said that you two didn't have to worry," Aya whispered, "because I'd be protecting you. Does that make me a liar?"

"No," Kai replied, placing a hand on top of Aya's head, "because we will get Rin back. And Kaori, Julia, Brooklyn, Ann and Tyson. I swear that to you, Aya. And that's a promise."

' _Now that sounds like the Kai Hiwatari I know.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Unknown Area_

"What the hell were you thinking, pulling that stunt? You nearly killed us, you idiot." Nemesis growled angrily. She had her arms crossed and was glaring at a young man that was leaning on the wall, the darkness of the room hiding him from sight. He had a big grin on his face and he probably didn't regret his actions the way he should be. _Arrogant child_ , Nemesis thought with disdain.

"But you're not dead, so no harm done, right?" He said jokingly.

"The reason we're alive is because Chaos shielded us before the attack hit us." Hecate replied, also staring at the young man with disapproval, "You don't even regret it, do you, Zeus?"

Zeus chuckled darkly, confirming what Hecate and Nemesis had thought about him. The bit-beast that belonged to Brooklyn had black hair and shining green eyes that looked animalistic. He was dressed in robes similar to Chaos's except they were black with silver trimmings. He had a golden necklace around his neck that held his bit-chip, which had been restored with the help of Dark Dranzer, Dark Draciel, Dark Driger and Dark Dragoon.

" **All of you, be quiet, alright?"** Ann said, her usually glassy blue eyes burning red as Dark Dranzer was currently in full control of the human's body, **"I'm trying to help Chaos sleep and heal."** That made Zeus, Hecate and Nemesis turn silent, instead turning to look at the sleeping figure in the canopy bed that Tyson had been using not too long ago.

Ann ran a hand through Chaos's hair gently and smiled when she saw that he was relaxed, **"The battle against Brooklyn and then shielding us from Zeus's attack drained him of most of his energy. He needs rest, so I would appreciate it if you would let him. Making him sleep is already a hard task as it is, considering that he can't sleep. Thank the great Elders for that."**

"Yeah, yeah, we know, Dark Dranzer." Nemesis huffed, uncrossing her arms, "When is he going to wake up again?" She fidgeted, not liking the way Chaos looked in the bed. Chaos was a man of action. He never needed sleep or rest. Seeing him like this made Nemesis think that he was weak, which he certainly was not.

" **Until he recovers."** Was the short reply. Ann sat down on the edge of the bed and hummed a tune they all recognized but they didn't comment on it. As she sang the soft lullaby so that Chaos could fall deeper into the land of dreams, the other three watched quietly.

"This wouldn't happen if Chaos had his actual tamer." Hecate said after a while, annoyed, "Instead, he's stuck with this wretched human vessel who can't take Chaos's power. Why'd we keep this human, anyways, if he's so worthless?"

"Because," Zeus interjected, staring at the pale face of Chaos, "this human will hold Night and be Night's tamer. Well, that is what Chaos plans on doing to him after that Tyson brat submits to him."

"How do you know that?" Nemesis questioned.

Zeus smirked, "Jealous that they told me what the human would be used for before they told you, Nemesis? Come on, jealousy doesn't suit you."

" **Shut up."** Ann hissed, **"You'll wake him up."**

"Sorry." The three apologized. Ann glared at them, her eyes flashing black, red, yellow, blue, green and orange rapidly before it stopped at red and Dark Dranzer began singing to Chaos again.

"Anyways, what are we going to do with Dark Dranzer's tamer?" Hecate asked, looking up at the ceiling. Zeus and Nemesis did the same thing and they were all greeted by the sight of Rin hanging there. He was being held up in the air by Hecate's black tendrils and he was still unconscious. He almost looked dead but they knew that he wasn't. He was tougher than that. Besides, they wouldn't let him die. It would be a pain to search for a new tamer.

"Dunno." Nemesis shrugged, "Maybe let's put him with Chaos's tamer. The brat would probably enjoy the company. He might be lonely."

"Alright." Hecate said and snapped her fingers. The tendrils vanished and Rin started falling to the ground. Just as he was about to hit the ground, he stopped two feet above it. Hecate grinned, "Thanks, Yami-Seiryu."

" **Try that again and you're dead, Hecate."** Ann said in a dark tone, her eyes looking like small flames, **"I do want my tamer to stay in a healthy state, you know. After all, I will be occupying that body."** She turned around when she heard Chaos stir and began to lull him to sleep again, once again ignoring the others.

"Yeah, yeah." Nemesis said dismissively before carrying Rin bridal-style. She frowned when she noticed that he was holding something in one of his hands but decided not to pry. "Let's put him with that other brat, yeah?"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Tyson was curled up in a dark corner when the one that had taken over Kaori's body – Nemesis – appeared and she was carrying a dead body. Tyson's blood turned cold at the sight of the body. It was male and he was very pale. _Well, duh_ , a part of his head supplied, _dead people are pale_.

He was wearing black jeans, a dark blue shirt and a black jacket and his hair was jet-black. He looked to be around Tyson's age, or maybe he was older. He looked very thin. Did he die of starvation? That could explain the dark bags under his eyes. Was that going to be his fate?

"Hey, brat. I brought you an old friend."

Nemesis dumped the dead boy in front of Tyson before leaving, closing the door and locking it. Tyson looked everywhere but at the corpse that was in the same room as him. He had to concentrate on getting out of here.

He was so concentrated that, when the "dead" body stirred, he yelled. Oh no, it was a zombie! Those crazy bit-beasts had somehow created a zombie. Great, now he was screwed. When the boy made a sound that didn't sound like a zombie, Tyson decided to inspect the boy and realized that he wasn't dead. He was still breathing, although you could hardly see it.

Tyson slowly crawled towards the unconscious male and frowned. He looked familiar. Where had he seen him before? Nemesis said he was an old friend. Then how come he couldn't remember his name?

"Kai!" The boy yelled before sitting upwards, his head colliding with Tyson's nose.

"Ow!" Tyson yelled, holding his nose, "I really hope it's not broken!"

"T-Tyson?" The male blinked in surprise, his bright blue eyes comically wide in shock. He blinked again, "I'm sorry about your nose but where am I? Alright, that's a stupid question. If you're here, that means I've been kidnapped by the Forsaken Fallen." Rin groaned internally. What Nami feared came true. He was getting a stern lecture from the fourteen year old if they ever got him out of here.

"How do you know my name?" Tyson questioned before he grinned, "Oh, I shouldn't ask that. You obviously know me. I _am_ the three-time World Champion of Beyblade."

"No, that is not the reason I know you," Rin said, looking unimpressed. He smirked, knowing exactly how to lower Tyson's arrogance. He used to do it to Kai all the time when they were younger, "Besides, I don't like the sport. It's rather boring. Watching grass grow is more entertaining than watching spinning tops."

Tyson gasped, "How can you not like Beyblade? Don't tell me you're those people that prefer Duel Monsters! If so, don't come near me. I can't believe she said we were old friends. There's no way that I'd be friends with someone like you, sourpuss. Even Kai isn't as bad as you."

Rin snorted, looking amused, "You're so childish. After being around Kai for so long, I suppose I forget that I can push regular people's buttons easily. Perhaps being friends with Kai does help with something." He paused, frowning. When had he started calling Kai his friend again? How could he have missed it? How could he not notice that he had fallen back to his childhood habit of calling Kai his friend?

Tyson blinked in surprise, "Kai's friend? Okay, now I know that I've gone crazy. First Nemesis drops a corpse in the room that isn't really a corpse, then the not-really-a-corpse corpse says he doesn't like Beyblade and now he's saying that he's Kai's friend."

Rin shook his head, a small chuckle escaping from his lips. Man, Aya and Kai would be peeved if they found out how easily Tyson could make him laugh, even if he wasn't even trying. "You're hopeless, Tyson. My name is Rin Mizushima."

Tyson bit back a laugh, "That's a girl's name. I guess it fits, considering how you look like." Rin glared at him with an intensity that made Tyson nervous and feel intimidated. Okay, then, he wasn't lying. He really is Kai's friend. He could see how those two would get along.

"If you did not know," Rin bit out, his voice harsh and cold, "my name is a unisex name. Although it is common on females, males have been named Rin before. And I did not appreciate the jab you made that I look feminine because I do not." He would rather die than admit that he was self-conscious over that, especially when Kai had once teased him over looking like a girl when they were kids. It's not his fault that his parents tended to dress him up in kimonos when he was younger.

"Alright, how's it spelled? Is it spelled with the kanji for 'cold'? Because that fits." Tyson mumbled.

"No, it's spelled with the kanji that means 'companion'." Rin replied.

Tyson snorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "Yeah right. I'll believe that when I see your birth certificate."

"My birth certificate is in Russian, idiot." Rin replied, resisting the urge to hit Tyson. Man, dealing with Kai was better than dealing with Tyson. Alright, that was a lie. While Tyson was a little annoying, at least he wasn't infuriating as Kai was. Dealing with Tyson was better but he was not telling him that.

Tyson was about to retort when the name 'Rin Mizushima' popped into his head and now he knew why he thought Rin looked familiar. Besides being the boy in the painting with Kai, he had been the one that had been fighting for the continuation of Beyblade along with Seto Kaiba. If he hated the sport so much, how come he was sponsoring it?

"You realize that you tend to talk out loud?" Rin questioned and Tyson blushed. He hadn't realized that. Although, that habit probably originated in this place, because Kaori said he talked out loud too and Hilary never said anything like that. Man, he really was going crazy.

Rin smirked, moving his bangs away from his face, "Why am I sponsoring something I don't like? As a favor for an old friend. Kai asked me for assistance and that took some courage. I had to reward him for his bravery. Besides, I do have a small fascination for bit-beasts that don't want the destruction of the world."

"Really? You can see bit-beasts?" Tyson asked. Even if he knew several people that could, it surprised Tyson that the sourpuss that had a love-hate relationship with the Beyblading sport could see bit-beasts.

Rin nodded, "I think that's obvious, considering who our kidnappers are." He sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Aya is probably going to panic and Kai's probably going to be angry. . ."

"Why do you say that?"

Rin stared at him before holding out his closed hand. The closed hand that, Tyson noted, had been closed even when Rin had been passed out. Reluctantly, Rin opened his hand and Tyson's eyes widened when he recognized Dranzer Metal Spiral. The only thing that was missing was the bit-chip but it was definitely Kai's blade.

"Where did you get this?" Tyson questioned.

"When the explosion happened," Rin mumbled, allowing Tyson to hold the blade, "it came straight at me. It was missing the chip when I got it so Kai might eventually find it. Still, he might be upset over losing it."

"Don't worry. Kenny will make him another one. He's done it before, after all." Tyson mused. He sighed, "If only we had a launcher and a ripcord. Then, we'd be outta here. This place is the worst."

"I can imagine." Rin muttered, coughing slightly, as he started walking around the room, "Do you hear the singing? Tell me you're hearing it and I'm not going mad." Tyson was going to ask what he was talking about until he heard it: the sound of someone singing.

"I hear it too." Tyson whispered despite himself. The song was alluring and so relaxing. It just made Tyson feel as if he should sleep but, at the same time, he didn't want to sleep in favor of listening to this wonderful melody.

"Dark Dranzer, perhaps." Rin said as he sat down at a corner, panting slightly. Tyson sat beside him and Rin frowned in confusion, "What are you doing?"

"Keeping warm," Tyson replied, "This room is really cold, you know. Kenny told me body heat helps keep people warm. Don't tell me you're like Kai and don't like physical contact."

"I don't like physical contact, alright?" Rin muttered, trying to scoot away from Tyson. This briefly reminded him of the first time he and the blunette had met. Tyson had started clinging to him because Rin had been the only one – besides Hiro – that had stood up for him. Sure, Rin had gotten some broken ribs by defying Chaos and the Forsaken Fallen but, to Tyson, that had made Rin more heroic. Five year olds were odd, Rin had decided, even though he had only been a year older than Tyson when they had first met.

"Is it because of them?" Tyson asked, drawing his knees in. When Rin remained silent, Tyson sighed. Of course it had been the Forsaken Fallen. Those guys were awful. "It is, I know. Kaori acted the same way you were after she recovered her memories."

"Have they seriously hurt you?" Rin asked and Tyson was surprised when he leaned his head on Tyson's shoulder. He did look kind of tired, Tyson noted, staring at the dark circles under his eyes again. He was supposed to be sixteen, right? How come he looked so tired, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders?

"Um, no? Well, Chaos hasn't tried to hurt me the way Nemesis beat Kaori. She broke Kaori's arm." Tyson replied. Rin closed his eyes and Tyson nudged him, "Hey, um, what about you? Did they hurt you before they put you in here?"

Rin shook his head but his movement felt sluggish, "No. They dropped me off here as soon as they arrived, I think. After all, I distinctly heard them saying that Chaos was injured so that means Dark Dranzer will be helping him heal and sleep. That was the reason Suzaku was created so only Dranzer and Dark Dranzer can help Chaos sleep."

"What? What are you talking about?"

Rin sighed, opening his eyes weakly, "Chaos can't sleep, Ty. If he ever sleeps, then the balance is thrown off. So the Elders made it so he'd be unable to sleep. The Seventeenth Elder, feeling pity for Chaos, decided to make a holy beast that would help him sleep if he should ever be suffering. That's how Suzaku was born. Even when he split into his dark and light side, Dark Dranzer and Dranzer retained the ability . . ." Rin closed his eyes again, "I'm so tired."

"Hey!" Tyson began to shake Rin's shoulder, "What's wrong?"

"Kai's going to get mad at me for sure this time, Ty." Rin muttered weakly, leaning on Tyson heavily, much to Tyson's surprise, "I forgot to take my vitamins for two days straight. Stupid Forsaken Fallen forgot I have anemia and that I've been chronically ill since my birth."

"Hey!" Tyson yelled loudly, "If you care about your tamer, Dark Dranzer, then you should hurry up before he dies!"

"Don't call them." Rin replied, before laying down on the ground, "It's alright. I'll be fine, I think. I've had worst attacks before."

"If you say so." Tyson said before he sighed, "But what if-."

"I know my own body better than anyone else, I think. Excluding my doctor, of course." Rin looked and Tyson and smiled, "You know, you sound a lot like Kai when I had an attack when I was in the Hiwatari Estate. You two are more alike than you think."

"We are?" Tyson questioned, looking puzzled. He and Kai were nothing alike. They were polar opposites, Everyone said that. Then why was Rin saying that they were similar? Ugh, this didn't make any sense to Tyson.

Rin chuckled, "Mmhmm. Everyone's so focused on seeing your differences that they don't notice the similarities. You have the same passion, courage, dedication and you worry in the same way. Don't tell Kai I said that, alright?" Rin didn't think that Kai would appreciate him telling his biggest rival that they were similar.

Rin groaned, "I must be delirious if I have talked this much. You must be so bored. Don't worry, I'm passing out soon. You'll be fine."

"I don't mind." Tyson grinned sheepishly, "I've been here for two weeks so I appreciate the conversation." Tyson turned serious and Rin blinked in surprise. He had never seen Tyson so serious about something that wasn't a beybattle.

"What's wrong?"

"Rin, we'll get out of here, right? We won't fall, will we?" Tyson asked. Even if Rin told him a lie or told him the truth, he wanted to know what the icy older male thought about their situation and about their chance to get out of here without getting possessed.

"I may fall but I'll make sure that you don't." Rin mumbled before turning so he was laying on his right side, "Besides, Kai, Max, Ray, Daichi and the other bladers will beat the Forsaken Fallen. I know that. You know that too, Ty."

Tyson closed his eyes and nodded, "Yeah, I do. I believe in my friends. Chaos and the rest of the Forsaken Fallen can do many things to me but there's no way that I'll stop believing in them."

"I believe in them too. So let our faith in our friends be our strength so we won't fall." Tyson and Rin made eye contact when Tyson opened his eyes and both of them smiled. Tyson was so glad that Nemesis had dropped Rin in here. He wasn't so lonely anymore. Besides, Rin was good company.

"Don't you ever tell Kai that I have faith in him," Rin said, suddenly serious, "or he'll never let me live it down."

"Okay, it's our secret." Tyson laughed.

Yeah. He might be in the darkness where only psychotic bit-beasts knew where he was and he had just lost four friends to those bit-beasts. But he wasn't so lonely anymore. So long as he wasn't alone, the darkness was easier to bear.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Done! See you later! *runs away***

 **Tyson: Hey, come back here!**

 **Erebus: Seriously, she knows she needs to repent over her actions.**

 **Sasha: Why would you make Kai suffer? Why?**

 **Rin: Stop trying to understand her. No one else tries to.**

 **Anime: *on the ground being held down by Chaos* At least I didn't leave a cliffhanger this time! Am I right?**

 **Sasha: Guess you're right. Well, chapter breakdown! Dranzer and Kai meet in their joined soul room, Kai and Aya in the aftermath of the attack, the Forsaken Fallen have recruited Zeus and Chaos's unconscious and Tyson and Rin meet.**

 **Erebus: That scene was meant to be a little sad and depressing . . . until Tyson had a say so and the Tyson-meeting-Rin part ended up looking like that.**

 **Rin: Honestly . . .**

 **Tyson: See you all soon, I hope.**

 ****The name Rin can be written in 10 different ways and they all have different meanings. They are: companion, cold, jewel, small bell, thread, command, woods, design, wheel and salary in rice. Rin's name in his birth certificate is in Russian so Nat and Haru had a hard time deciding how to write Rin's name in kanji.****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Piece of Heaven**

 **Song: Piece of Heaven by Weiss**


	12. Chapter 11: Piece of Heaven

**Anime: So, I'm back with chapter 11 of MIAB. Are you proud of me? Please enjoy it because I was multi-tasking when I was writing this. I thought it was a genius idea to start working on DRAMA Is Now In Session, Frozen Butterfly Wings and Bittersweet Lullaby rather than working one by one. Oh well. . . At least I updated. And on Christmas! Yay!**

 **Chaos: *cackles evilly* Hey, Rapid Puzzleshipper Saiko. Remember what I said I was doing in a review for Borderline? I'm doing it here. I got permission! And no one is stopping me!**

 **Rin: To give you a hint to what Chaos is saying, I'm giving you a warning for this chapter for torture.**

 **Tyson: In this chapter, we finally see what Raul is up to and there is going to be a plot twist here. Is that related to the torture, Rin?**

 **Rin: Not at all. To give you guys another hint: Do you remember Fuyu?**

 **Chaos: Thank you to the readers and reviewers KinomiyaHiwatari and Little. A. Granger. Anime doesn't own Beyblade. A shame, really. Now, start reading!**

 **Tyson: He's only excited because he comes out here a lot.**

 **Rin: And we don't, Ty.**

 **Tyson: Yeah, I know.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **11: Piece of Heaven**

" _Chaos-san!" Sasha giggled excitedly as she showed a flower bracelet to him. Chaos frowned, staring at the very feminine-looking bracelet with confusion. Sasha stopped smiling when she saw how serious he looked, "What is wrong? You do not like it?" The last part was said in a sad tone and Chaos stiffened when he saw how sad Sasha looked like._

" _No, that is not the reason why, Sasha." Chaos smiled at her as he took the flower bracelet and put it on his wrist, making Sasha smile happily. "I was just surprised. I have never seen this before. I am amazed by your abilities, Sasha. You are a wonderful human."_

Human . . . she was a human, one of the mortals I had disliked so much. What made her so special? Why was she so different?

" _Thank you, Chaos-san." Sasha laughed as she took his hand and started dragging him towards the lake, much to his surprise, "I think you are a wonderful spirit. I do not believe many people can see how magnificent you are. I hope that you know you are amazing, Chaos-san."_

Why did her voice make me feel as if I was so great? Why did her words affect me so much? How did she know what to say to me?

" _I do not think I am that amazing."_

Can you not see how ugly I am? I am so flawed. I am surrounded in darkness. I am not allowed to be happy. Then why are you giving me the happiness I crave for?

" _Huh? That is something so unexpected. I thought you were confident, Chaos-san! Why are you doubting yourself?" Sasha sighed before stopping. She squeezed Chaos's hand before turning towards him, that gentle smile that he loved dancing in her face, "Do not doubt how wonderful you are. Even if you cannot see those beautiful qualities that you have, that does not mean that others cannot see them. I see them and I see your flaws."_

Why?

" _You still accept me? Even when you see how I am so flawed and ugly?"_

Why do you accept me? No one but the 17th Elder and Night had accepted me. They had been the only ones to have seen my flaws and qualities and care for me. How are you doing what they could? How are you getting so close to my heart?

 _Sasha nodded, her eyes shining with warmth that Chaos thought suited her, "Yes, I accept you. Your flaws make you unique and they make you seem human. Those flaws that you believe make you dreadful are the reason why I care for you. They make you into the individual you are now. Your flaws and your good qualities, I love both of them. And I love you."_

Warmth. Love. Those two are very wonderful feelings. I want to stay with Sasha. I want her to be by my side. I love her too. . .

But dreams eventually end. It was a shame that it had to end.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Chaos woke up with tears in his eyes and with Dark Dranzer singing the all-too-familiar requiem that Chaos hated to listen to. He tugged at her sleeve, making her glassy blue eyes – Ann's eyes, not Dark Dranzer's – open and made her stop singing, much to Chaos's relief. She smiled and patted his head softly, **"How are you feeling?"** All of the voices sounded concerned, including Dark Dragoon's. Had his condition really been that bad? Enough to make a sadist like Dark Dragoon worry?

"Fine." He muttered as he sat up. He placed a hand on his head when he felt the world spin and closed his eyes, feeling a headache, "That attack by Zeus was powerful. He could've killed us."

His brothers and sisters who were trapped in Ann's body chuckled weakly, **"You're hard to kill. Why do you think that you'd be killed by that attack? Besides, the Elders would make sure that you don't die. You know how important you are to the balance of the universe."**

Chaos shrugged, "I don't know and I think I know that. Anyways, why were you singing that song? I thought you only sang it when you were sad." The requiem that brought back terrible memories for Chaos. Dark Dranzer had sung it when Sasha and Erebus had died. The last time he had heard that melody, it had been the day that he had been sealed away.

" **We couldn't think of anything else. The 17** **th** **Elder's lullaby might have worked but we were afraid you'd start getting homesick or something."** Chaos snorted when Dark Driger – who else would say something like that? – said that. Why would he miss that wretched world? The world where he had been nothing but a tool, hidden away in a tower where he could do nothing but curse the darkness. What in the world would he miss?

The image of a grinning teenager with wavy dark brown hair and dark brown eyes appeared in his mind and Chaos willed it away. He could see her anytime he wanted to. The only Elder he truly cared for, the one who considered him a living being and not some tool to serve some purpose. One of the only people he had grown to love besides Night and Sasha. Alright, maybe he did miss the 17th Elder more than he led on.

"Alright, I get it. Where is your tamer?" Chaos asked as he got out of bed. He winced when he felt his legs were numb. Damn, he had really exerted this mortal's body. By the time Night got him, this human would be useless. That would suck, considering how hard it was to find suitable tamers.

" **With yours in the usual cell, of course. Nemesis dropped him in there before going out. The other six – Hiro, Nami, Hikaru, Shun, Aya and Riku – are being guarded by the tamers of the sacred spirits. Meanwhile, Hades's tamer is being watched over by his 'bit-beast', along with another holy beast and four others that feel . . . odd."**

"In what regard?" Chaos frowned as he walked towards the door, Ann following closely behind. What kind of holy beast would feel odd? He didn't understand what they meant with that.

" **Well, they feel like beasts but they don't feel like one at the same time. I don't understand it. It's really weird."** Ann said with a pout and Chaos sighed at Dark Draciel's – who else could it be, after all? – childish nature. Maybe that was the reason Dark Draciel was so compatible to Aya.

"Don't worry, I get it. Has Nemesis, Zeus or Hecate gone to investigate?" Chaos asked he started walking down the stairs. He internally groaned when he saw that Ann had started jumping down the stairs. He sighed, "With that long dress, you're going to trip and fall."

" **Nonsense!"** They laughed as they continued jumping down the stairs. Chaos decided not to comment anymore so he let them continue their jumping. Now, he had to know who exactly this holy-beast-that-didn't-feel-like a-holy-beast was. He had no idea who it was but he was going to find that out.

He closed his eyes, trying to sense Nemesis, Zeus and Hecate and only sensed Zeus. That meant Nemesis and Hecate had gone to investigate the four strange things that were guarding Raul. Chaos opened his eyes, a pensive look on his face. He still had to pay a visit to someone. He had some unfinished business, after all. A crash sounded down the long staircase, breaking Chaos out of his thoughts.

" **Ow!"** Ann yelled, having fallen face-first onto the ground after her long tumble down the stairs. Chaos didn't know whether to be concerned or laugh at his siblings. He decided to chastise them.

"I told you that you were going to fall!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Madrid, Spain, Europe_

Raul woke up in a hospital bed and his whole body ached. He winced as he tried to sit up. An unfamiliar male voice tutted, "I wouldn't suggest that. The doctor says that it's not a good idea for you to be moving so much." Raul blinked, trying to make his eyesight not be so blurry so he could see who was speaking.

He was met with a teal-haired male with blue eyes that he found to be vaguely familiar. The male was probably around fifteen years old and his hair made it up to his shoulders. He was wearing a dark blue T-shirt and black pants. He was leaning on the wall close to the window, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Who are you?" Raul asked as he reached a hand to touch his head and he stared at his arms that were currently bandaged. The events that led up to him waking up in the hospital made Raul gasp, looking around frantically, "What happened? Where's Julia? Did they take her?"

"I can only answer one question at a time, Raul," The younger male replied, "You are in the hospital because you crashed out of the window of your apartment that was located on the third floor. The doctors say your survival was a miracle but you and I both know that it was your bit-beast Torch Pegasus that saved your life."

"So you know about bit-beasts, huh?" Raul mumbled, "Where's my sister?"

"I'm afraid Julia was taken by the Forsaken Fallen. Kenny contacted me and asked if I could keep an eye out on you. As soon as you're better, we'll be heading to Japan." He replied and Raul felt dread engulfing his body. They had taken Julia. The Forsaken Fallen had Julia once again. Why had he been a coward and run? Why hadn't he tried to save her?

"How do you know about the Forsaken Fallen? Are you a survivor?"

The teal-haired male shook his head, "No, Kenny informed me of them. Oh, where are my manners? My name is Zeo Zagart."

That's when Raul finally knew why this kid – Zeo – had looked so familiar. He had competed in the Beyblade tournament about a year ago, blading against Tyson in the final match. He had a bit-beast named Cerberus and he was a robot created by his father. Raul remembered the uproar of the crowd when they had found that out.

"Zeo Zagart, huh? So you're my bodyguard? Aren't you afraid of the Forsaken Fallen coming here?"

Zeo stared at him, raising an eyebrow in question, "Why should I be scared of them? I know that they will show up." He looked out the window, his eyes staring into the distance. Perhaps they were trying to capture all of the tamers before coming back to get Raul. Either way, he had to keep an eye out and protect Raul.

"Why won't you be scared? There are eleven of them and I'm in no condition to battle. It would be one against eleven." Raul stated and then paused when he noticed that Zeo smirked at him. He frowned, "What's so funny?"

"You actually think that I'm alone with just Cerberus?" Zeo shook his head and Raul blinked when Zeo laughed. Zeo's eyes glinted and then Raul's eyes widened when he saw four beasts other than Cerberus appear behind Zeo.

"What are those beasts . . .?" Raul questioned while Zeo continued to smirk, as if he knew something Raul didn't, which he did. He didn't understand why he felt that they were holy beasts but, at the same time, weren't.

"My father's scientists created this about two years ago in order to capture the four sacred spirits. Although the original copies were destroyed, these improved models were created but my father decided not to use them again so he hid them away. As soon as Kenny contacted me and told me about the sacred spirits, I asked my father to lend me their power." Zeo said as he took a blade from his pocket. He chuckled softly, "I know this will probably annoy the hell of the Forsaken Fallen."

"Again, I ask you: what are they?" Raul asked he saw that the four bit-beasts looked a lot like Dragoon, Driger, Draciel and Dranzer and their dark counterparts. But, at the same time, they didn't look like them.

"They are Cyber Dragoon, Cyber Dranzer, Cyber Driger and Cyber Draciel. And they are prepared to fight the Forsaken Fallen."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Hilary's Grandmother's House, Bey City, Japan_

Hikaru was now wishing that he had stayed behind with Night-Max, Daichi, Kenny, Riku and Ray back in the dojo. Hell, he probably would've preferred going with Rin, Kai and Aya to the library. Even Grandpa Granger and Kurumada-san's investigations would probably be better than this.

As soon as they had arrived, Hiromi-san had turned pale and started saying that Shun, Nami, Hiro and he were cursed and threw several talismans at them until Hilary had eventually calmed her down by assuring the old woman that they weren't going to do anything to bring disaster on the house.

"Grandmother," Hilary asked in a polite tone as she placed an icepack over Shun's head, where a small bump was forming from where her crazy grandmother had hit him with a cross, "we just wanted to know what happened in that excavation about seventeen years ago. I told you yesterday about that, remember?"

Hiromi nodded slowly, "The excavation was doomed from the start. I don't know why Bruce Granger and his wife decided to go on this trip. They had a little boy named Hiro, after all, but they said that Bruce's father had him. No one else had any children except for myself. That Borkov girl and that Mizushima boy were just children themselves, even though the boy asked for her hand in marriage many times. I heard that they did marry but I don't know what happened to them afterwards. I don't know what happened to the others after our work was done."

Hiro looked away. How could they tell her that almost every member of that 'doomed' excavation except her and his father had died? Judging by the looks of his companions, Hiro decided to keep the old woman in the dark about what had happened to the others.

"What do you mean that it was doomed from the start?" Nami questioned the older woman, who was staring at a wall but not really. She remembered this look very well. Aya did the same thing when she was remembering things from the past. So what was Hiromi remembering?

"As soon as we got there, I felt like something was watching me." Hiromi said and Hilary sat down next to Hikaru in the couch. The two shared a glance when she mentioned that something was watching her. Had she been able to sense the presence of the malevolent spirit Chaos?

"Watching you?" Shun asked, holding the ice pack and looking interested. Hikaru rolled his eyes at that. Why was his little brother so interested in what elderly people said? Even if this woman could help them uncover some secrets of the Forsaken Fallen, that didn't change the fact that old people talking was boring. To Shun, though, it was the most interesting thing in the world. He had once found his younger twin in a retirement home, listening to an old man recount his childhood. Seriously, what in the world was wrong with his brother?

"Yes. However, unlike the presence I felt when I was in the temple, this presence felt gentle and kind. I don't know what it was but I preferred it over the presence that seemed to cling to Natasha and Haru."

All of the teens shared a look while Hiro frowned at her words. Another presence was present in the temple where Chaos had been sealed away? It couldn't have been Night, as he had been in a very deep slumber, or any of the Forsaken Fallen. Was there another holy beast that they had overlooked? The idea didn't seem too far-fetched but that made them worry. What had happened to this possibly good bit-beast?

"What else happened, wise one?" Shun asked. He didn't understand why the old woman reminded him of someone. She didn't look a lot like her granddaughter Hilary with her silver white hair that had become like that due to old age, pale skin and violet colored eyes.

"Besides Yoshie losing conscious in front of the statue of that ferocious-looking dragon and the two love birds having found an odd top? Well, there were those apparitions. . . ."

"Chaos." Hiro muttered under his breath. Who else could it be? The dark spirit had the ability to manifest itself as an astral projection, he knew. After all, he had experienced this ability first hand as a child, when he had tried to run away.

"The boy was terrifying. I always saw him hovering over Natasha and Haru, smirking as if he knew something that no one else did. He hated Yoshie and Bruce because he would glare at them if they came too close to him. I remember a moment where we were walking around the ruins and something pushed Yoshie so she could break her leg. When I turned around, I saw the boy laughing cruelly at her pain."

"He had enough power to create an astral projection and have the ability to pull those kinds of stunts?" Nami muttered and Hilary turned to the younger girl, who was biting her lower lip in thought. She sighed, "The holy beasts really are powerful, especially the eldest one."

"When Yoshie broke her leg, Elva suggested we leave the sight. That night, as we were leaving, I woke up to see a young girl standing in front my tent, looking out of it and talking to someone. Just as quickly as she had appeared, she disappeared, leaving behind a strange necklace that I took with me."

"Do you still have it?" Nami asked, her eyes wide. A strange necklace and that young girl . . . the girl had to be a holy beast. She was absolutely positive and, judging by the look on Hilary, Hikaru, Shun and Hiro's faces, the others were too.

The elderly woman shook her head, a wistful sigh coming out of her lips, "No, I'm afraid I gave it to my daughter for her birthday." All but Hilary visibly deflated, feeling as if that statement had robbed them of their hope of finding a holy beast that could help them fight the Forsaken Fallen.

"You gave it to Mom?" Hilary asked and Hiromi frowned at her young granddaughter, the only teenager that hadn't seemed discouraged by her words.

"No, I did not give the necklace to Hitomi, Hilary." Hiromi replied and Hilary was now confused. Her mother had said she had been an only child and her father had said she had no aunts on her mother's side. What did her grandmother mean? Did her mother have a sister? A sister she didn't know about?

"Then who . . .?" Hilary mumbled.

"That Hitomi . . . she never did like her younger sister. Hoshiko was a year younger than her but they were always apart. Hoshiko preferred living with me than with her father while Hitomi preferred her father." Hiromi said as she stood up, walking towards a cabinet. When she found what she was looking for, she smiled. Hiro tried to see what it was but, as far he could tell, it was a photo frame.

"The day she received her gift, Hoshiko went missing. She was twenty when she was taken and, to this day, no one has been able to find my missing daughter." Hiromi sat down in front of Hilary and placed the photograph in her hands, "This is the last picture I took of Hoshiko before she went missing."

Hilary gasped when she saw the young woman who was her aunt. Hoshiko was a fairly beautiful young woman who had long black hair and a streak of white in her bangs which covered one of her light purple eyes. She was smiling at the camera and was dressed in a baggy dark blue shirt and faded blue jeans. Hilary was shaking and Nami wondered how Hoshiko looked because she wanted to know why Hilary was so shaken up.

 _This woman . . . is the woman that appears in my dreams!_

Hikaru looked over Hilary's shoulder to see the picture of Hoshiko Hirano – or was it Tachibana? – and he froze as well, eyes widening. Shun, upon noticing his brother's reaction, grabbed his hand and squeezed it as a sign of reassurance. "Hikaru-nii?" The soft-spoken boy whispered, looking at his wide-eyed twin, "What's wrong?"

"Shun . . ." Hikaru turned to Hiro and Nami, who looked worried since Hilary was still in shock and Hikaru looked as if the world had just flipped around. He squeezed Shun's hand, eyes looking down, "Hoshiko Hirano . . . that girl . . . she's Fuyu-san."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Apartment 9B, Bey City, Japan_

Boris was drinking some tea and nursing his knee where Rin had kicked him before leaving the apartment with Kai a day ago when the doorbell rang. He frowned, not expecting any visitors. Besides, the last visitor had cursed him in rapid Russian and had punched him in the face and kicked him. He really hoped it wasn't anyone that was violent as his young relative.

Boris opened the door and frowned at the young man that was standing in front of his door. The teenager looked a lot like Tyson except with paler skin and his hair was not put in a ponytail. He was dressed in black pants, a black shirt, black shoes and a black vest and his red eyes stared at Boris with an emotion he couldn't detect. He had a silver chain around his neck that had a bit-chip on it and he wore a flower bracelet on his right wrist.

Boris took a step back and the male smirked, "Hello, Boris. My name is Chaos. Can I come in?" Without waiting for a response, he entered the apartment as if he owned it. Boris was too shocked to try to tell him anything. He had no idea why he couldn't move and wanted to know why he was trembling. Why was he scared of this teenager?

Chaos threw himself onto the couch, stretching with cat-like grace, "Well, this is the worst home I've seen in years but I think it suits you. Anyways, I came to thank you. Without you, my brothers and sisters and I would've been trapped under that seal for twenty years rather than ten. Boy, that would've sucked, don't you think? I think I've had my fill with seals."

"Did you come here for Black Dranzer?" Boris asked, feeling dread in the pit of his stomach when he finally recognized this ancient and powerful voice as the one that had whispered to him the idea of Biovolt, of creating artificial bit-beasts and finding Black Dranzer. This was the first of the holy beasts, an ancient spirit who could probably defeat Black Dranzer without sustaining a scratch. This was Chaos.

Chaos nodded, grinning in a manner similar to Tyson's but it looked menacing with him doing it, "Straight to the point! I'm proud of you! Yes, that's correct. Where is Black Dranzer?" Boris didn't overlook how his eyes had glowed briefly but he decided not to linger in that thought.

"Rin and Kai came here first. I'm afraid they took it."

That was the wrong thing to say. The room turned colder and Boris heard the door lock while the curtains were drawn, hiding the light of the sun. The lights began to flicker and Chaos's grin was gone, replaced by a cold and predatory look. Around him, a black aura appeared and Boris felt his power. He was a powerful creature. To top it all off, his true form appeared behind him, making Boris fall to his knees in fear and in awe.

"Oh, that is a shame." Chaos said, his voice echoing around the room. He looked down, his bangs covering his fiery-red eyes that were glowing once more. Boris trembled as black tendrils wrapped themselves around his body but did nothing to get rid of them. What could he do when facing this powerful, ancient spirit?

Chaos sighed, crossing his arms in front of him and lifting his gaze, making Boris look into his pitch-black eyes, "You see, Boris, when I'm angry at someone's incompetence, I tend to lash out on anyone nearby. I wouldn't hurt my siblings in my rage but . . . I would hurt someone I have no affiliation to."

"No." Boris whispered as Chaos stood up from his seat in the couch, his voice and face devoid of any emotion. He had no sense of compassion or mercy, Boris thought with fear. This is a holy beast that could kill hundreds and not feel remorse. A creature twisted and dark that would probably kill him for not giving him Black Dranzer.

"My poor pitiful pawn of darkness," Chaos laughed but there was no mirth in his voice, causing shivers to go down Boris's body, "You caused several children to fall into darkness when you don't know what darkness is."

Chaos smirked, kneeling down so he could see Boris's fear-stricken face and the older man noticed that his eyes had turned red once again, "Shall I teach you what pain and darkness feel like? I hope you're a good pupil, Boris. You were a good teacher, after all."

Boris yelled in pain as the black tendrils wrapped themselves around his arms and began to twist them. Chaos watched with a bored expression as Boris yelled in pain, asking for him to release him. Chaos did nothing but watch as Boris squirmed as his arms were twisted. The loud crack that was followed by Boris's agonized scream informed Chaos that his arms had been broken.

"Stop screaming. Those boys of the Abbey didn't scream when this happened, did they?" Chaos replied in a monotone. The former head of BEGA suddenly felt remorse for his actions as he felt the tendrils that had broken his arms wrap themselves around his legs. At least he could feel remorse over his actions because, despite all his flaws, he was still a human. Chaos regretted none of his actions.

Chaos started exploring the apartment, in case Black Dranzer was here. He groaned when he couldn't find it and when Boris wouldn't stop whining about his broken arms while asking Chaos to not break his legs. He rolled his eyes, finding the older man's whining irritating, "I broke Rin's arm when he was six and he didn't whine as much as you do, dammit." He kicked the couch across the room, growling in annoyance once more.

"Chaos-sama-."

"Ugh, shut the hell up." Chaos growled, kicking Boris in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain, "Has anyone told you how annoying and irritating your voice is? Humans like you are the reason why I want to destroy this world."

Humans like Boris that loved to tempt people to the darkness were the reason Erebus killed Sasha, ultimately making Chaos kill his beloved younger brother. Perhaps that was the reason he hated this man so much. He reminded him too much of those men that had implanted those dark thoughts into Erebus's mind. He was just as wicked as those men.

Boris yelled as he felt his right leg break, his left leg nearing a similar state. Chaos was truly a heartless beast, as he was watching his pain with a passive face. Boris wondered once more if this creature had ever felt remorse. Judging by his emotionless face as he was being tortured, Boris decided that he didn't. He yelled as his leg finally broke with a loud crack.

Chaos scoffed before making the tendrils that had broken Boris's arms and legs disappear and the man that had caused so much suffering to many people fell to the ground, crying out in pain. Chaos unlocked the door but paused in the doorway, turning around with a bright smile that chilled the broken man, "Oh, that's right! I forgot to show you true darkness. How silly of me."

Boris shook his head as Chaos approached him, every step painstakingly slow as if he wanted to draw out his torture. He crouched down, smirking with maniacal glee, "Alright, stop moving or this will hurt a lot more than it needs to!"

The last thing Boris saw before his world went black was Chaos's grinning face as his pale fingers made their way towards Boris's eyes.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Ta-da! How was that?**

 **Chaos: Excellent!**

 **Sasha: Depressing.**

 **Tyson: I'm having mixed feelings over Boris's torture.**

 **Rin: I'm a little shocked.**

 **Erebus: I don't know how to react to this.**

 **Sasha: So we see Chaos's dream, Raul is being protected by Zeo and the Cyber Bit-Beasts, Hilary's missing aunt Hoshiko is Fuyu and Chaos tortured Boris.**

 **Tyson: Chaos was busy this chapter.**

 **Chaos: *cackles wickedly***

 **Rin: Is the next chapter focusing on Tyson and I or Kai and the others? Don't make a Chaos-centric chapter again. It'll lead us all to see what he does in his spare time.**

 **Erebus: You mean torturing?**

 **Anime: Drop a review, you guys. We love hearing from you. I'm hoping to upload the next chapter before or during the New Year. *squeals happily* 2016 is coming!**

 **All: See you soon!**

 ****Watch Episode 31: London Calling of Season and Episode 33: Rock Bottom of V-Force and read this to fill you in how those two episodes are relevant to this fic. In London Calling, Tyson says that, ever since he could remember, Bruce has been working on the same project. Bruce Granger states that the bit-beasts have been interacting with humans since the birth of man. They appear as idols in ancient civilizations and they're considered to be powerful, sacred spirits. They typically appear in animal forms and are revered as symbols of great power in countries all over the world. However, he says that there are exceptions to that and that some spirits have grown evil over the centuries. He wasn't talking about the bit-beasts of the Dark Bladers. He was talking about Eden's Rapture and the Forsaken Fallen. In Rock Bottom, Ozuma talks about how things were with the holy beasts in the past, in a time that occurred after Chaos and the others were sealed. The 'bringers of destruction' were sealed away as Dranzer, in human form, taught the ancestors of the Saint Shields to seal spirits away. The Evil Brotherhood tried to use the power of the four sacred spirits – Dragoon, Driger, Draciel and Dranzer – to bring destruction to the land. Before they got sealed away by the ancestors of the Saint Shields, they disappeared.****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: With You**

 **Song: With You by AAA**


	13. Chapter 12: With You

**Disclaimer: Anime does not own anything Beyblade-related except for some merchandise. The plot and OCs do belong to her.**

 **Anime: It's New Year's, you guys! Who is excited for 2016? I know I am! So, I am pleased to announce the first update for MIAB in 2016!**

 **Tyson: In this chapter, we see some of the Elders in their first appearance in MIAB.**

 **Rin: Thank you KinomiyaHiwatari and Rapid Puzzleshipper Saiko for the reviews of the last chapter. This chapter is dedicated to you for taking time of your schedules to review.**

 **Tyson: Hopefully, this chapter owns up to the rest of the story. After all, it focuses on so many people.**

 **Anime: Without further ado, to the story!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _ **Different denotes neither bad nor good, but it certainly means 'not the same'."**_

 **Cheshire Cat** _ **(Alice: Madness Returns)**_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **12: With You**

 _Unknown area, unknown time_

"Why are you holding council now, First Elder?" The voice of a worried female asked the woman standing in the middle of a room surrounded by seventeen seats. Inside the room, there were only three people, all of them women. The other occupant was sitting on a throne-like chair, staring at both of the females with worry.

The First Elder was an eighteen year old Hispanic girl with shoulder length wavy brown hair and light brown eyes wearing a black dress that covered most of her body. She was stoic, staring at a bubble that held the image of Chaos abandoning the broken body of Boris Balkov.

"Third Elder, did you agree with the creation of the holy spirits?" The First Elder asked, her voice cool and devoid of emotion.

The Third Elder appeared like a twenty-three year old with extremely pale skin. She had long black hair and enchanting light green eyes. She was dressed in a dark blue dress that she didn't seem to be comfortable in but made her look regal. Next to her floated an orb where she had been observing Night – who was inside the body of a human named Max – the way First had been observing Chaos.

"You know I did." She replied. Unlike the cold First Elder, the Third Elder was brimming with emotion and her eyes burned with conviction. She stared at the ceiling where they could all see the branches of Yggdrasil reaching out and touching stars and planets alike, "We all believed that they were going to do some good to the world we helped to create."

"I should've known better than to allow Seventeen to raise Chaos and the others to have emotions." First said, looking at the last seat with something that seemed to be regret. She sighed, shaking her head, "Foolish of me to have allowed it. She was the one prone to act based on her emotions."

"You regret that?" The sitting girl finally stood, standing next to Third who turned to look at her, "First Elder, with all due respect, you should not judge Seventeenth's actions because she felt that all of our creations should be given basic emotions. We all need them, after all! Just because you-." She covered her mouth, eyes wide when she saw the glare the First Elder had given her.

"Silence, Second Elder. Know your place."

The Second Elder looked down sadly, making the Third Elder pity her. Despite her actual age, the Second Elder did look like a normal fifteen year old teenager. With her long dark brown hair covering her light brown eyes in shame, she looked like a teen that had been scolded by a parent. Considering the First Elder was older than her, that analogy might prove to be true.

"How can you be so cruel to us?" Third Elder asked, eyes narrowed as she placed a hand on Second's shoulder to comfort her, "You've hurt Chaos and we couldn't even do anything-."

"By 'we', you mean Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Ninth."

"-except watch. You and the others decided that the holy beasts were nothing but tools but what about us? We know that Seventeenth's actions were correct and we don't approve that you practically banished her from our world." She scoffed, looking at First with disapproval, "Don't you care about your younger sister? You two are the only true siblings among us yet you're so cruel to her. Why is that?"

First didn't respond and faced the orb where she could see Chaos was crouched down in the middle of an alley, throwing up. She knew that the human's body couldn't the power Chaos held. If Chaos did not allow the body to rest every time he used a lot of his power, the human will die. She shook her head in disappointment. Chaos was a creature ruled by emotion, just like Seventeen.

"I can't let emotions cloud my judgment." She replied, "Seventeen, Erebus and Chaos show us the mistakes that we can make if our decisions are based purely on emotions."

"Cold like snow, First Elder." Third replied and motioned Second to follow her. As both of the two Elders left, First opened her mouth as if to say something to stop them but closed her mouth, refusing to say it. She couldn't show emotion because they made her weak. She sat down on her chair, staring at the last seat and sighed wistfully.

It was hard playing the good guy when no one else could see her effort to keep the balance secure.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Bey City, Japan_

"Fuyu was a woman that took care of you guys during your captivity?" Hilary asked as she, Nami, the twins and Hiro walked back to the dojo. They had left Hilary's grandmother alone after the older woman had fallen asleep. Hikaru was glad to be gone from the crazy woman that had hit Shun with a cross.

"Uh-huh!" Nami said happily, smiling briefly, "She was a very kind woman. She gave us more food rations and treated our wounds. Of course, she'd be beaten for it but she never cared. She always made us feel happy. In the end, it was Fuyu-san who helped us escape. However, she was killed because of it." The last part was said in a sad tone, her eyes soft.

"She sacrificed her own life for a bunch of kids that she didn't even know." Hiro replied, staring up at the sky, "She was a mother and older sister to all of us. Whenever I felt that it was getting to be too much trying to act like a good older brother, she allowed me to vent out my fears and anxieties."

"I see." Hilary didn't know what to make of this. Her aunt that she had no idea she had had died ten years ago saving kids from the Forsaken Fallen. It would explain why she saw Fuyu – Hoshiko – in her dreams. Anything was possible, wasn't it? She decided to stop questioning the weird things that happened in her life.

"If Fuyu-san really is Hoshiko Hirano, does that mean that she also owned a bit-beast?" Shun asked, causing all of them to think about his words. Hiro analyzed Shun's words carefully. Fuyu had a bit-beast that was obviously not an ally to the Forsaken Fallen. If that was the case, where was the spirit? Since they were family, could the bit-beast that belonged to Fuyu be passed down to Hilary?

The song Resonance by T.M. Revolution started playing loudly, much to their surprise. Hikaru looked away from his brother's incredulous look and dug into his pocket, retrieving his cell phone that had the image of Aya in it. He answered, "Hey, Aya. Did you guys find anything?"

They saw Hikaru go pale as he listened to Aya. He stopped walking, his eyes wide in shock and fear. He cleared his throat, holding the cell phone tightly, "Aya, what do you mean Rin's been taken?"

Shun, Nami and Hiro shared a glance while Hilary gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. Hikaru shook his head, "Aya, slow down. Where are you two? Uh huh . . . Yeah, got it. We're on our way." He hung up, staring at them with a morbid look, "Kai and Aya are kind of stranded in an overpass. Let's go get them."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Ray and Riku were both calmly waiting for the others to return to the dojo and were also waiting for the arrival of the other bladers. From what he had heard, Tala and the rest of his team had been in Japan so he knew the Russians were going to arrive soon. Riku wouldn't stop fidgeting, hiding his hands within his sleeves, mumbling that something was wrong.

When the others showed up with a weak looking Aya and a battered Kai, Ray knew that Riku had been right that something was wrong.

"Where's Rin-nii?" Riku mumbled, eyes darting everywhere until they eventually settled on Hilary. The brunette looked at Riku with sad eyes, not knowing what to say to him. Riku adored Rin as much as Aya did so telling him that he had been taken by the Forsaken Fallen would hurt Riku. Considering that she had grown fond of the slightly insane male, Hilary didn't want to cause him more pain.

"He's been taken." Aya replied, holding her head where Ray could see she had been bleeding. She sighed, "Chaos, Hecate, Nemesis and the other members of the Forsaken Fallen cornered us."

Riku lowered his gaze, his eyes filled with emotion that Hilary hadn't seen when she had first met the teenager. He then smiled – a weak smile that looked to be forced – and helped Aya get inside the dojo. Why was he trying so hard to be happy? It should come easy for some people, shouldn't it? Then why did it seem as if Riku needed help trying to find out how happiness worked?

After a few minutes of being in the living room, they all noticed that the dojo was quieter with the absence of the young tycoon.

"You guys!" They all turned to see Kenny had appeared, grinning happily. He motioned them to follow him, "We're done! Max, Kenny and I have reached the next level!"

"You did?" Nami asked before they all made their way to the room where Night had been instructing the teens. Daichi and Max were laying down, staring up at the ceiling, while their blades were on their hands. They were all amazed that Daichi's eyes were pure gold and Max's eyes were green, meaning that they really were connected with their beasts.

"Where's Night?" Kai asked.

" _Here."_

They all turned to see a male who looked to be around sixteen years old floating in the corner of the room. He had long black hair and white eyes and was dressed in white robes with golden trimmings. He smiled, _"I had to create an astral projection of myself so Draciel and Max could practice. Daichi, Max and Kenny worked wonderfully with Strata Dragoon, Draciel and Dizzi. Ray, Driger, I believe you two are the last ones that need to achieve the next level."_

"What about Kai and Dranzer?" Aya questioned.

Night stared at Kai with a knowing glance, making the Russian wonder if he had seen the exchange he and Dranzer had moments ago. He couldn't have been aware of it, right?

' _Weeeeell. . .'_ Dranzer's voice popped into Kai's head. If he had been someone else, Kai would've flinched at the sudden voice of his bit-beast. However, he was aware that Dranzer was inside his head so hearing him speaking wasn't so surprising. He heard Dranzer laugh, _'Night might be able to sense those kinds of things, Kai. He is the second bit-beast to have been created so he does hold a certain degree of powers that we don't have access to.'_

' _That explains some things.'_

" _Kai."_ Night's voice interrupted what Dranzer had been about to say to him. He met the pale gaze of the patient bit-beast, who bowed his head at him, _"You and Dranzer will have to fight against Rin and Dark Dranzer if Rin falls. Are you prepared for that possibility?"_

"Are you prepared to fight with us to defeat Chaos, Night?" Kai replied, feeling uncomfortable by the question. He didn't know what he'd do if Rin did fall prey to Dark Dranzer. He couldn't imagine having to fight him, especially when Rin had made him promise-.

' _You promised to kill him if Dark Dranzer took possession of his body.'_ Dranzer replied, making Kai stay silent. It had been a promise that Rin had insisted to make. He had said that he would rather die than to kill Kai or to lose control of himself. Kai had no choice but to make the promise. Still, he wondered if he'd be able to keep it.

After Wyatt's death, Kai didn't want anyone near him dying.

Rin and Tyson had not yet fallen, he was sure of that. Even so, he was afraid of losing his rival – his best friend? – and his best friend – his brother? – to the Forsaken Fallen. He would never confess that to anyone, however. The only one that he allowed to know about his fears and doubts was Dranzer. No one else could understand.

' _I'm flattered by that, Kai.'_ Dranzer said and Kai swore that he heard his giddiness over being Kai's close confidant.

" _I am prepared."_ Night smiled at all of them, _"Believe me, I want all this senseless violence to stop as much as you do. I do not want this world to be destroyed. This beautiful world, with all of its wonderful occupants, does not deserve to be destroyed."_

Max smiled as he and Daichi sat up, their eyes back to normal, "You speak like a poet, Night. You shouldn't talk so formal, you know?"

Night chuckled, amusement dancing in his eyes, _"A poet, Max? My, you are filled with odd notions. Now, Ray, Driger, it is time for you two to ascend. I hope you and Riku have finished talking because you'll be here for some time."_

"Got it." Ray nodded.

"As you do that," Max winked at the others, smiling genuinely and causing them to feel better, "I think we all need to catch up a little, don't you think?

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Bey City, Japan_

" _Chaos, are you happy to be alive?"_

Chaos was hunched over, leaning on the brick wall when he felt someone stand behind him. He frowned, trying to sense who was behind him. The person's presence was very familiar but he wasn't sure if it was true or not. He turned around and narrowed his eyes, "Well, well, if it isn't the First Elder in the flesh."

She looked just like he remembered, except she was now wearing clothes a typical teenager would wear rather than wearing her dress. He rolled his eyes in annoyance, "What do you want? I don't have time to deal with you. I'll overthrow you and the rest when I destroy the humans."

As he started walking away, he heard her speak – how much he hated her cold voice that betrayed no emotion – and he turned, surprised, "What did you say?!" There had to be a mistake. She hadn't said-.

"I don't like repeating myself, Chaos." She said, staring at him with those eyes that he hated because they made him feel inferior. She tossed her hair back, not looking at him, "I said that Seventeenth has been detained and will be held in trial."

"Why? Is it because she favored us over you?" He snarled, the air around him turning dangerous. The First Elder didn't seem to be affected by the aura and didn't seem to hold a trace of emotion in her face, even as she stated that her younger sister had been arrested and was going to stand trial.

"No. It seems like we've ignored the fact that she's the main reason why you've all gone berserk. When we were creating you holy beasts, you were all supposed to be nothing but emotionless tools. However, Seventeen decided against it by giving you emotions that weren't necessary. Through her actions, the humans have suffered. She must atone for her actions."

"You bitch." Chaos's tendrils wrapped themselves around the First Elders but they didn't squeeze her neck, much to Chaos's disappointment. He hissed, "She's your damn sister! Why would you something so cruel to her when all she wanted was to allow us to feel?!"

"Erebus was your brother but you killed him." Chaos flinched as if he had been hit, staring at her in horror.

"Like you, I think about the good of the world before anything else. Seventeen deserves to be punished and I won't spare her just because she is my sister, as everyone likes to remind me of. I know my duty, after all."

Chaos scoffed, looking away from her in disgust, "We may have both been the first of our kind, First Elder, but even I'm aware that I am more considerate to the rest of my kind than you are. You don't care anymore, do you? You were alone for twenty centuries, weren't you?"

He looked at her face just in time to see the anger in her eyes. He smirked, "So, the emotionless Elder finally shows emotion. Does it hurt you to think about those lonely days where it was only you living in the roots of Yggdrasil? Is that why I was confined in that tower for twenty centuries? So I could experience the same loneliness you did?"

 _Loneliness. I cursed the dark and my loneliness in the cursed tower I called home. I hated it. I hated everything. I hated the Sixteen Elders. I hated the darkness. I hated my emotions of sadness. I hated my tears. I hated my cries. I hated myself. Above all, I hated the loneliness and silence._

"Shut up."

"Unfortunately for you, Seventeen visited me often so I wasn't always alone in my confinement the way you planned. Besides, Night would sometimes sneak in and talk to me whenever you didn't allow Seventeen to visit me. In other words, you failed. I never felt truly alone the way you did. I bet that hurts. No one can say they lived for two thousand years alone, not even me."

 _I loved the kind words Seventeen said about me. I loved Night and the way he visited me even though he'd be in trouble if he was caught. I loved the light. I loved my emotions of happiness. I loved their smiles. I loved laughter. I loved the company and the noise that followed it._

Chaos was slapped, the First Elder glaring at him with hatred he had never seen her display. He took a small step back in genuine surprise. "How dare you think you know my pain." She replied and then smirked, mirroring Chaos's, "Don't forget that you are exactly like me, Chaos. It was my essence along with Seventeenth's that brought you to life. You _are_ me, Chaos."

"Maybe I am." He replied, holding his abused cheek and giving her a smirk, "But I refuse to think that I have anything in common with you of all people. I hope you remember my promise. I will overthrow you and the rest of the Elders."

"I look forward to it, Chaos. It'll be a fun challenge." She replied before she vanished, leaving Chaos to think about Seventeenth's fate on his own.

He punched the wall, ignoring the blood that ran down his fist. He knew exactly where Seventeen was being held as she waited for her trial. Why was she suffering for their actions? There was no way that he was going to allow her to die. He had already lost Erebus and Sasha; he wasn't going to lose Lizbeth.

" _Yes, I am very happy to be alive, Seventeen."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Unknown Area_

Tyson had no idea what was going on when he woke up to hear Rin chanting numbers, as if in a trance. He didn't know whether to interrupt him or not, considering how serious he looked. He then smacked his forehead, "Did I tell Akasuki to give it to him or not? Why can't I remember?"

"What's up?" Tyson asked, blinking in surprise at Rin's odd antics. Rin paused and then sat down next to Tyson, blushing at having been caught acting so strangely. Tyson grinned, poking him, "Come on, tell me what you were going on about."

"Today is still August 1, I believe." He stated, ignoring Tyson's confused look. As far as Tyson had known, it was probably still July, "If so, I hope that my maid Akasuki delivered the package to Kai."

"What package? And why are you giving something to Kai?" Tyson asked and Rin turned to him, surprise evident in his face when he saw that Tyson was still confused. He internally huffed, his body radiating disappointment. Trust Kai not to tell Tyson about something so important. They had known each other for years and he had never told Tyson his birthday? Rin was going to lecture Kai about that next time he saw him.

"The package is Kai's present. August 2 is his birthday."

"It is?!" Tyson asked, shocked, "I've known Kai for almost three years and he never told me!" He felt insulted that Rin knew Kai's birthday but the Russian had never told him. Then again, Rin had known Kai longer. That didn't change the fact that Kai never bothered to tell them about his birthday.

"Trust me, I'm surprised he didn't." Rin smiled when he saw Tyson pout angrily before sighing, amused at how peeved Tyson looked, "December 2."

"Huh?"

"My birthday. It's on December 2." He remembered how much Kai used to tease him because he was four months younger than him. Rin chuckled at the memory of him running away from Kai, ignoring the taunts the slightly older boy had given him. He ruffled Tyson's hair, "If I recall, your birthday is on November, right?"

"November 23. How did you know?"

Rin grinned, "You told me when you were a kid. You wouldn't remember but I made sure to remember everyone's birthday just in case." He remembered how excited Tyson had been as he told Rin his birthday and how he celebrated them. He had been so excited that he hadn't even remembered the pain of his broken arm until Hiro had been able to reset it.

"That's an incredible memory you got there, Rin."

Rin shrugged, "A blessing and a curse, really. It's a shame that the Forsaken Fallen returned. I wanted to give Kai a proper birthday." At Tyson's questioning glance, Rn elaborated, "Since Susumu-san disappeared when he was ten, I heard from Voltaire that Kai stopped celebrating his birthday."

"How come you didn't go and celebrate his birthday?" Tyson muttered.

Rin looked down, "I was a coward, that's why. After I escaped from the Forsaken Fallen, I cut all ties with Kai and we didn't see each other for almost six years. We saw each other again when we were twelve, when Voltaire finally allowed me to run Mizushima Enterprises. I threw a ball and, of course, Kai was invited so that's how we met once again." Tyson listened carefully to what Rin was saying. He didn't know much about Kai's past so it was interesting learning about it.

"When did you two meet?"

Rin thought about it for a moment before replying, "When we were four. Our parents were good friends but I hadn't met Kai before because I was so sickly. I can't even count how many times I got sick with a contagious illness that my parents were scared Kai would catch."

Tyson scratched the back of his head, "Your parents sound like they were overprotective."

"You have no idea. The reason they were like that was because I was their first child and they were so young when they had me. My mother was eighteen and my father was nineteen when I was born." Rin stared at Tyson, who was still paying attention and grinned, realizing a perfect way to punish Kai for not telling his teammate about his birthday, "I bet you want to hear me talk about embarrassing things that Kai did when he was a kid."

Tyson grinned, a mischievous spark in his eyes, "You know I do."

Rin smirked, "Then let me tell you embarrassing stories about our infancy. Trust me, there are a lot of them." And a lot of embarrassing pictures of those times existed, including the fake wedding they had. He wasn't telling that story to Tyson, though. That was something he was taking to the grave.

"Hurry up and give me the blackmail material." Tyson chuckled.

After all, it was better to dwell on those days where Rin and Kai were best friends, innocent and naïve than on the present, where they were both standing in opposite sides of the coin, their innocence and naivety gone and replaced by cold masks to protect themselves.

It was better to remember the beautiful infancy they had shared rather than remember the dark promise that bound them together. A promise that would probably be the cause of Rin's demise.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: How was that? Leave a review and have a very happy new year!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Notes for this chapter:**

 ***The Seventeen Elders are based on actual people.**

 ***Resonance by T.M. Revolution: opening of Soul Eater**

 ***Important dates in this fic:**

 **February 16 – the day they were kidnapped 10 years ago**

 **July 16 - the day Kaori, Tyson and Brooklyn were kidnapped (current time)**

 **July 17 – the day they all escaped from the Forsaken Fallen 10 years ago**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next Chapter: Sanctuary**

 **Song: Sanctuary by Hikaru Utada**


	14. Chapter 13: Sanctuary

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, implying sexual content, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Anime: The long awaited chapter 13 of MIAB, this one will have angst in it, making the story go deeper into the path of becoming a darker fic. Anyways, thank you so much to Rapid P. Saiko because she beta-read this chapter! Hurray!**

 **Sasha: Thank you to KinomiyaHiwatari, Rapid P. Saiko and Little A Granger for their reviews! Also, we thank those readers that have been reading this for a long time but are too shy to write a review. Thanks for reading, guys!**

 **Erebus: Without further ado, the chapter.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **13: Sanctuary**

 _Granger Dojo, Bey City, Japan_

It was nightfall when the bladers finally started arriving at the dojo. By that time, Night had already helped Ray and Driger achieve the next level – Kenny had started calling Soul Bond – and everyone had told each other what had occurred during their time out of the dojo. Aya and Kai's wounds had been treated, even though the blonde had claimed that she was fine and that it didn't hurt. They all knew she was lying.

The first to arrive were the Russians, much to Shun's delight. The first couple of minutes of their arrival had to be spent with Tala trying to escape the blue haired teen's hugs while Hikaru kept him in check. Aya, of course, found it all to be hilarious while a giggle escaped Nami's lips.

It was probably around midnight when all of the blading teams had arrived. The only two that weren't present were Zeo and Raul but they all knew why they hadn't shown up.

All of the bladers were a little surprised at seeing Night in his astral-projection form but they had learned long ago to not question it. Of course, out of all the odd things they had seen, a human-looking bit-beast really took the cake.

Kai was standing in front of the pond alone, staring up at the shining stars, when Night found the phoenix blader. The ancient spirit didn't know what to say to Kai. Two important people in his life had been taken by his siblings. A human like Kai was dangerous when provoked. He was very similar to Dranzer in that manner and Night knew that's why his brother had chosen this human as his tamer.

" _What are you doing here, Kai?"_ Night asked, floating towards him, _"Your comrades are here to help. Do not shoulder the burden in your heart by yourself. Can you not allow someone else to help you?"_

"I need to be alone."

Night sighed, the sense of déjà vu overwhelming him. He hadn't noticed until now but Kai was very similar to a certain dark holy beast. Night sat down in the ground and looked up at the stars, _"Once, a long time ago, in a world where stars always litter the sky, someone spoke those same words to me."_

"And what of it?"

Night smiled softly before turning to look at Kai, _"The one who said those words to me was Chaos."_ Kai seemed to flinch at the name but Night wasn't so sure, considering how emotionless Kai seemed to be. Night looked at the direction of the dojo where he could hear all of the bladers discussing the Forsaken Fallen while also catching up as they hadn't seen each other in a long time.

" _The more I know you, the more I see how similar you are to my brother. There are small differences but you two seem to be cut from the same cloth."_ Night chuckled. Kai remained silent, wondering what in the world Night was trying to say. How could he and Chaos be similar?

" _When he first came out of the tower the Elders had him in for centuries, Chaos felt uncomfortable at being surrounded by strangers. It was so overwhelming that he spent most of his time alone, trying to escape the noise."_ Night created a small orb of light in his hands and released it, where it flew towards Kai and bumped into the phoenix blader's nose.

" _Like I did to you, I approached him and he replied that he wanted to be alone. I had to talk to him for a very long time before he decided to join the company of our brothers and sisters. As a result, he ended up loving each and every one of us."_ Kai looked around and noticed that Night had created several orbs of light that moved slowly so they couldn't be mistaken as fireflies.

"Are you trying to sound like a wise old sage, Night?" Kai asked and Night smiled kindly at him before nodding.

" _Yes. I have a knack for that, according to Max."_ The holy beast replied and then looked up at the sky, _"I felt your battle too, Kai."_ Kai didn't know which battle Night was talking about and the confusion must have been evident in his expression because Night clarified, _"Your battle with Tyson. I felt it and saw it, even though I was still dormant. You two are complete opposites that cannot stand together when separated."_

An image of Tyson was created, followed by an image of Rin, before it vanished. Kai's eyes widened and Night held out his hand, holding several balls of light in it while staring at him with eyes filled with melancholy.

" _The childhood friend that was practically your brother and the best friend that you can't live without have been taken away from you as cruelly as the way I lost Chaos and Erebus. I know how much it hurts to lose people that important to you but remember, Kai Hiwatari, that you are not alone."_ Night stood up and all the spheres of light gathered into his palm, creating something that looked like a star.

"What am I supposed to do?" Kai asked.

Night stared at the star in his hands and then gently pushed it up in the air, where it soared up in the sky, before he faced Kai again. Night closed his eyes, _"This may seem clichéd but what you should do is believe in your friends, the way I still believe in the goodness in the hearts of my siblings."_

He looked up and pointed at the star he had created, _"That is the star of_ yūjō _, Kai. It is between the star of_ ai _and_ kirai _. If you are not careful, you may lean towards the star of_ kirai _rather than_ yūjō _or_ ai _. For the sake of all those that care for you and love you, try to not do so. You have fallen under the influence of that star too many times."_

"You're telling me you can read stars?" Kai asked, sounding skeptical.

Night nodded _, "It is very easy to do so. Unlike what Riku believes, humans are not born under stars. Every time a human is born, an Elder creates a star for them and those stars move around and are close to stars that signify love, death, hatred, friendship, trust, insanity, sorrow and several others. Yours is an odd star because it constantly moves around_ yūjō _,_ ai _and_ kirai _."_

The bit-beast paused when he saw how lost Kai seemed before he laughed, _"I will show you how to read the stars one day, Kai. I am certain that you will be able to understand what I mean when you learn."_

With that, the spirit left. Probably to be with Max, Kai reasoned. He looked up at the star Night had created and wished he could understand what Night had meant. He snorted and walked back into the dojo, never noticing the gaze of a certain holy beast with flaming red eyes.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Madrid, Spain_

"We have to go eventually." Zeo was talking on the phone with someone that sounded sleepy. He ran a hand through his hair, glancing occasionally at the recuperating Raul, before he began to speak again. Raul wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying, though. Instead, he was staring at the bright blue sky. He didn't have a clock but it was probably four in the afternoon.

"Alright, Ray. Keep me posted." Zeo ended the phone call before ending it. He looked out the window and tsked when he saw two figures hiding in the shadow of the trees. So, they're watching the hospital. He glanced at Raul and stretched, "I'm going to get us some sodas. I'll be back."

Raul frowned, turning to see a completely full water bottle – along with other drinks – in the windowsill that Zeo had gotten some time ago. He crossed his arms in front of him, "Did a screw in his head get loose or something?" He shook his head, wondering why Zeo left using that stupid excuse. What was that kid scheming?

Meanwhile, outside the hospital, Nemesis and Hecate both glared when they saw Zeo approaching their hideout. The teal-haired blader smirked, "Well, well, you must be two members of the infamous Forsaken Fallen."

"Who the hell do you think you are, speaking to us in that manner, human?" Nemesis asked, jumping down from the tree she had been hiding on. She was staring at Zeo with obvious distaste, something that didn't bother the robotic blader in the least. Technically speaking, he wasn't really human.

Hecate came out from behind the tree, eyes narrowed, "You're the one that holds the not-holy beasts." She could sense four of those not-holy beasts in the boy's presence. Well, if this boy was a real boy. He did not feel human. There was something wrong with him and the beasts he possessed.

"Not-holy beasts?" Zeo raised an eyebrow, wondering what was wrong with the Forsaken Fallen. Couldn't they come up with a better name for the Cyber Bit-beasts? It can't be helped, the robot thought while sighing internally as he took out his blade.

The two beasts that inhabited the bodies of Julia and Kaori did the same, not caring that the odds were two-to-five. Was Chaos really that confident that they could win? After all, he could send out more of the members of the Forsaken Fallen here.

What are you up to? Zeo wondered briefly. He shook his head to get rid of the thought before yelling, "Let it rip!" The two members of the Forsaken Fallen followed suit, their eyes briefly glowing.

"It's finally time to play." Hecate laughed.

Zeo snorted as the three blades clashed, the shockwaves causing the nearby birds to take to the skies, "I think you'll find that this marionette will not bend to your will as easily as you think."

"We'll see about that, won't we?" Nemesis replied.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Somewhere, in a dimension that possibly no human could easily enter unless assisted by a holy spirit or an Elder, a mind slept. It was unlike any human presence but it was not like a holy spirit's or an Elder. The mind was unique, having a thin connection with another mind that was not human. It drifted in darkness, no one coming close to awaken it.

 _It's so cold here,_ the mind thought as it stirred in this odd plane of existence. _Where is everyone? What's going on? How long have I been asleep? Where am I?_

' _Brooklyn.'_ A voice called out to the mind – otherwise known as Brooklyn Masefield – and caused it to briefly open its – his? – eyes. It – he – felt something touch his mind and that was when he finally opened his eyes after what seemed to be a long time.

Brooklyn looked around, _'Where in the world am I?'_ This place was both familiar yet strange to him. He was floating in darkness, the only light being emitted by his body. He looked around, trying to find the source of the voice that had woken him up. He outstretched his hand, feeling a presence close by.

A hand clasped his and Brooklyn was soon face-to-face with someone that looked a lot like him. He smiled weakly, _'Hello, Zeus.'_

' _Brooklyn, are you alright now?'_ Zeus asked and squeezed his tamer's hand to give him reassurance. Chaos had nearly obliterated Brooklyn's mind during his attack so it was comforting to see that the red-head was still alive and well. Then again, he had shielded him from most of the attack.

' _Yes. How are Kaori and Tyson? Are they okay? Are they safe?'_ Brooklyn wondered. He wasn't sure how long he had been out, after all. In this dimension – his soul room – where he and Zeus could communicate, it felt like months had passed.

' _Kaori Kumai is gone.'_ Zeus replied as he slowly drifted to the right, looking into the distance as if he could see her if he did that, _'Tyson Granger endures torture but has not fallen.'_

' _So what are you doing?'_ Brooklyn asked, having no doubt that his physical body was being controlled by his bit-beast. It wasn't a very comforting thought but at least his body was being hijacked by someone he could trust.

' _I've aligned myself with Chaos for now.'_ Zeus replied, smirking at his tamer, _'He has not questioned my loyalty yet.'_ He turned to look Brooklyn in the eyes and sighed, placing a hand on her hips, _'I am loyal to neither the Forsaken Fallen nor the rest of the sacred spirits. The only person that has my loyalty is you.'_

' _That means you're not on the side of the Forsaken Fallen, Zeus.'_ Brooklyn replied with a small grin, _'Still, there's no need for Chaos to know about that, right? I'll let you be in control of my body for now, Zeus. When they least expect it, we'll reveal our true colors.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Unknown area_

Tyson didn't like this room and, judging by his expression, neither did Rin. The room Ann had taken them into was a dark room that had a tree growing in the middle of it. "What is this?" Tyson asked, "What are you going to do to us now?"

"This tree. . ." Rin muttered, wondering why the tree looked so familiar.

Ann stared at the duo with a bored expression but didn't say anything as the tendrils of darkness dragged them towards the tree. Rin began to struggle in his bonds, finally recognizing that dark tree from his dark childhood days in this prison. "Let me go!" He yelled, knowing exactly what they were going to suffer. He didn't want to go through this again.

Ann stopped in front of the tree, smirking at Rin, "Ah, you recognize this, Rin. That's good. At least there's no need to explain what it does. Will you tell Tyson what this lovely tree does?" She laughed, causing the two captives to shudder.

"Rin, what does this thing do?" Tyson whispered.

Rin closed his eyes as he tried to block out the awful things that tree – Gaea's favorite torture method she often used on Nami – had done to him, "It makes us experience our worst nightmares and memories that haunt us."

"You'll see Rin's pain and Rin will see yours." Ann said, "I hope that you haven't experienced sad or painful things. The pain might drive you insane, after all."

"You bitch." Rin replied before the tendrils released him and the roots of the tree grabbed him. The roots wrapped themselves around his waist, ankles, wrists and neck. He struggled in his bonds, "Tyson, remember, it's all in the past-." Two small roots touched his forehead and Rin stopped talking, falling asleep.

"Rin!" Tyson yelled.

"Your turn!" Ann said and pushed Tyson into the roots that immediately grabbed him the way they held Rin. The World Champion struggled to get rid of the bonds that held him down and glared at the currently possessed Ann. The image of the smirking Ann was the last thing Tyson saw before he blacked out.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Madrid, Spain_

Zeo jumped to avoid the attack that Hecate had launched at him, "That was close. I guess they're not playing around." He flinched when Nemesis's blade hit his own, causing it to bump into a nearby tree. He landed on top of a branch, "Hey, how about giving us a handicap?"

"Why should we? There are more beasts in your side than in ours." Nemesis replied before she jumped up to avoid the stray attack of Cyber Dranzer. Hecate launched another attack at Zeo, who was shielded by Cyber Draciel.

"Fair enough." Zeo muttered, before Cyber Driger and Cyber Dragoon attacked the two ancient spirits. This was a sight, Zeo thought. Two ancient bit-beasts possessing two modern day bladers were fighting against a robot blader who had the help of four bit-beasts created by modern day science and a bit-beast who came from a meteorite. This was an odd battle indeed.

"Let's do this!" Hecate yelled and what appeared to be a black dog appeared from the bit-chip before it started spinning rapidly around Zeo's blade that had already unleashed the four cyber bit-beasts and Cerberus. Nemesis chuckled wickedly before her bit-chip glowed and a black serpent with golden eyes appeared, hissing at Zeo.

"Seems they're taking this serious now." The robot muttered as the two beasts tried to attack him. The Cyber Bit-Beasts and Cerberus were by his side, watching the every move of Hecate and Nemesis. The tension could be cut by a butter knife, Zeo thought drily.

Hecate was about to attack when she paused, looking towards the distance. Zeo followed her gaze and caught sight of a young woman with dark black hair dressed in a green dress. Nemesis groaned, "It seems that she's here. Let's go before she gets us." Hecate nodded and the two members of the Forsaken Fallen jumped up, disappearing amongst the tree tops.

"Wait!" Zeo called out.

"Zeo."

He turned and was now face-to-face with the same woman that had caused Nemesis and Hecate to run away. He was certain what the woman's eye color was, as it had changed from blue to gray in a span of a minute. She seemed to be glowing dimly and Zeo could swear that he could feel power coming out from her body.

"Who are you?" He asked, frowning because he felt calm in this woman's presence. The woman did not reply but smiled and extended her hand. On the palm of her hand rested a glowing object that looked a lot like a star.

"I don't have a real name. I'm merely known as the Third Elder."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Tyson woke up in a garden of flowers where he could hear a small child laughing. He sat up and looked around. There was a manor nearby that looked impressive, probably belonging more in the Victorian era than here. The sun was already setting and he could see the evening star already in the sky.

After a while, he spotted the small child that had been laughing. The six-year old boy had raven-black hair and brilliant blue eyes and a big smile that was probably as big as his own. He was dressed in a small black coat and black slacks and wore a red scarf that looked handmade around his neck.

The boy was picking white roses happily – singing in a language that he could remember Kai and Tala speaking in – and Tyson realized with a jolt that this happy child was Rin. He was shocked, to say the least. Rin didn't tend to be this happy, after all.

"Rin!" A young woman with flaming red hair and eyes that were identical to Rin's appeared, wearing an amused expression on her face, "Young man, it's way too late to be out here. It's past your bedtime, you know."

" _Posmotrite, mama!_ " Rin happily stated before he showed the roses he held to his mother. The woman smiled warmly and picked him up, much to his obvious delight. Tyson felt himself smiling along with the boy. He and his mother looked so happy. But this was considered one of Rin's worst memories. Why was it considered that? How could this happy memory be bad?

"How many times have I told you? Practice your Japanese more." She stated, poking him on his forehead. She grinned and Tyson saw that Rin had inherited his mother's eyes and smile.

"Mama, it's boring." Rin replied, pouting, "Russian is easier. I practice it with you and Alexander. Dad and Nariko don't talk Japanese much. And I live in Russia. Why can't I speak Russian?"

"You can speak Russian all you like but it's important to remember that you're half-Japanese." The red-head replied, "So practice it more, even if it's not as fun as Russian. Besides, being Russian is better. Don't tell your dad." The two laughed again before their happiness was interrupted by a yell:

"Fire!"

Rin's mother and Rin both turned around and Tyson did as well, his eyes taking in the view of the burning mansion nearby. Rin's mother put him on the ground, grabbing him from his small shoulders, _"Rin,_ _zapustite. Ubiraysya otsyuda."_

" _Mama? Chto proiskhodit?"_ Rin was trembling, his eyes glancing at the fire and Tyson could hear people screaming inside. Rin looked terrified. What in the world was going on? Why was his home on fire?

" _Delay kak ya govoryu, Rin."_ His mother replied, looking more and more desperate. This woman was terrified as well but Tyson was proud at how brave she was being at not showing it to her young son.

" _Chto o pape?"_

She smiled softly and kissed him on his forehead, _"Tvoy otets budhet khorosho. Idti!"_ Without further ado, Rin started to run while his mother turned and ran towards the burning manor, calling out the name of someone named 'Haru'. Rin didn't stop running, occasionally looking behind him to see what was going on. He stopped in front of a forest, wheezing slightly, before he pulled the red scarf he had over his mouth.

"Kai-nii, where are you?" The small child asked before he turned around and bumped into someone. He looked up, his eyes taking the teenager in front of him. The male seemed to be around seventeen years old and had piercing red eyes with white – almost silver – hair. He was dressed in black robes with golden trimmings and had silver cuffs on his wrists.

"Who are you, young one?" The white-haired male asked. Rin took a step back, shaking a little and Tyson could see why. Around the teenager was a black, malicious aura that he knew Rin was seeing as well. He smiled and tried to grab the small child but Rin stepped away.

"Akuma." Rin muttered before he made a run for it to the forest. Black tendrils appeared out of nowhere and wrapped themselves around his wrists and ankles. He struggled against the bonds, yelling words that were half-Japanese and half-Russian so Tyson was unable to fully understand him.

"What, not planning to stay longer, young one? The show's about to start!" The albino male replied and he began to fly. Tyson's eyes widened when he saw the flower bracelet that he was wearing on his right wrist. That teenager was Chaos! Rin was yelling something in another language that wasn't Japanese or Russian as he floated behind Chaos.

"Hello there, brother!" Chaos happily chirped as he reached the grounds of the mansion, where a tall teenager with dark blue hair and orange eyes stared at him unamused, "Miss me, Dark Dragoon?" When he didn't receive a response, he shrugged and continued walking, entering the burning building.

"Mama! Otōsan!" Rin yelled as he was dragged into his burning mansion. Chaos and Dark Dragoon made it to what was probably the parlor where the Mizushima family entertained their guests. Other teenagers were there, all of them smirking, while some people were on the ground, one of them glaring at a female with red hair and red eyes.

"Young master!" A woman yelled and stood up, a man following her example.

"I had told you not to move." A male with black hair with white highlights and golden cat-like eyes growled out. The next thing Tyson saw, both the maid and other servant were dead, blood coming out of their throats.

Blood had splattered on Chaos and Rin, much to Tyson's horror. Rin cried out in terror, closing his eyes and whimpering. Chaos patted his head then sent a disapproving look to the killer of the two servants, "Dark Driger, was it necessary to kill people in front of a child? Blood got on his clothes and on mine as well."

"What do you want?" A man that looked a lot like Rin except for his red eyes asked, holding Rin's mother in his arms.

"To thank you!" Chaos grinned, eyes flashing black while the others watched him with wide grins, "Haru and Natasha Mizushima, you broke the seal that was never meant to be broken." He poked Rin's cheek, "And you did good on your promise by having the kid. Rin, isn't it?"

"Get away from him!"

Tyson turned to see who had yelled and saw that it was the young woman that had been glaring at her attackers earlier. A red head female with red eyes looked at Chaos and, at his nod, she began to laugh. Why was she laughing? What had Chaos given her permission to do? His question was answered when the young woman caught on fire, her screams echoing through the majestic room.

"Nariko!" Natasha yelled and ran to the young woman, only to be pushed back by a girl with purple-black hair and black eyes. Besides Natasha, two other people tried to help the burning girl. Tyson watched as one was torn apart while the other was suffocated by a ball of water that had been created by a girl with purple hair and black eyes.

"Stop it!" Haru stood up and took out a gun from his pocket, pointing it straight at Chaos, who stared at the gun with a bored expression. His eyes narrowed, "I'm not going to allow you to kill any more of my companions."

"Master Haru, it's okay." A woman who looked to be forty muttered, staring at the young man with sad eyes. Rin was staring at the scene with shiny tears going down his eyes and was unable to look away. Tyson felt the same way, observing what Rin considered his most painful memory.

"No, it's not. What gives you the right to choose who lives and who dies? No one has that right." Haru replied, his red eyes reflecting the fire that was engulfing the manor. Rin's father had guts to talk to Chaos as if he was nothing but a common human. He didn't seem to be scared, either. In fact, he only seemed to be afraid over the fact that Rin was so close to Chaos.

"What right do we have?" The red-haired girl asked, stopping the flames that had been burning the girl Nariko. It was too late for her, though, as all that remained of Nariko were only charred remains. "We are practically gods to you mortals." She stated, before throwing a fireball at a servant, who screamed as he was burned alive.

Haru's eyes glinted and pointed his gun at the red-haired girl with a love for fire before shooting her. She screamed as the bullet hit her on the shoulder, much to Tyson and Chaos's shock. Rin's dad was definitely a badass. He had just shot an ancient spirit.

"You son of a bitch!" Dark Driger said and Dark Dragoon grabbed hold of the whimpering girl who had been shot. Dark Driger's eyes glowed and Haru yelled in pain and Tyson and Rin's eyes widened, seeing the claws of the beast embedded on Haru's back.

"Haru!" Natasha screamed.

Haru fell to his knees, a hand covering his wounded side. He looked up at Rin, who was trembling uncontrollably. Tyson saw Dark Driger look at Chaos, who gave his consent for him to do what he pleased. Haru smiled, a tear falling from his right eye, "Be happy, Rin."

"Otōsan? What do you mean?" Rin asked.

" _No."_ Tyson muttered, knowing exactly what was going to happen.

Both Rin and Tyson screamed in horror when Dark Driger stabbed Haru through the neck. Natasha gave out an anguished cry, a young woman holding her back as she watched the life being drained out of her husband. Dark Driger let go of Haru and he fell forward, blood oozing out of his wounds and onto the floor.

"What a pity." Chaos muttered, staring at the dying young man that had released him from the seal. He sighed, "If you had not been so foolish, you would've lived. Your aura was, after all, compatible to mine."

"Otōsan! Please, get up!" Rin cried out, the tears streaming out of his eyes while Tyson watched with horrified eyes as he realized that Rin had seen his father die in front of his eyes.

" _Stop looking! Rin, stop looking!"_ Tyson tried to cover the eyes of the young child but he passed through Rin as if he was a ghost. This was Rin's memory. It was an event that had already come to pass. He had no way of sparing this child the pain of seeing this.

"Kill the rest. Try not to kill Natasha or Rin." Chaos stated. Rin covered his ears as he tried to drone out the screams of the dying servants. He must have been in extreme shock because his eyes – his fearful, childlike eyes that used to be innocent and filled with life – were wide with shock. He couldn't look away.

" _Stop looking! Close your eyes!"_ Tyson yelled at the terrified child that was shaking like a leaf. The innocent child that had been happily picking flowers for his mother was now a scarred child whose face had some of his father's blood and was practically drenched in blood. Tyson couldn't take it. He wanted to cover Rin's eyes and make him forget about all of this.

Chaos was smiling until Natasha launched herself at him. The unarmed woman was barely going to make contact with him when Chaos's tendrils of darkness penetrated her chest. She gasped, her hand reaching out to touch Chaos's forehead. Chaos frowned and Natasha narrowed her eyes, "With the last of my breath, I curse you. You will feel the same pain as those who've you killed. I curse you."

"Good for you." Chaos muttered before throwing the body to the ground. Natasha grunted in pain as she lay close to her dead husband. She grabbed his cold, pale hand and smiled before looking up to meet the eyes of her child.

"Mama." Rin fell to his knees, reaching out for his mother.

"Live, my sweet child." Natasha wiped the tears from Rin's eyes, "Your father and mother love you, Rin. We both love you. We love. . ." Tyson was as devastated as Rin when Natasha stopped speaking, her brilliant eyes now dull and lifeless.

Gone. Rin's parents died in front of him.

"No!" Rin cried, shaking his mother's corpse while more tears fell out of his eyes, "Wake up! Don't leave me alone too! Please don't leave me! Come back! Mama! Otōsan! Don't leave me alone!"

" _Stop it."_ Tyson felt a tear run down his cheek and shook his head, _"I don't want to see this anymore. Please, stop this."_ He knew that Ann would not feel pity for him and awaken him from this nightmare. Still, he couldn't help but cry out for this pain to stop. He didn't want to see Rin's suffering anymore.

"A shame." Chaos crouched down next to the child and patted Rin's head as he held the clasped hands of his parents, "Your mother and father reminded me of two people I used to know."

Rin turned, his usually happy face now filled with one emotion that Tyson recognized: anger. He bit Chaos's arm hard enough to make him bleed, much to Tyson's shock and Chaos's surprise.

"That hurts!" Chaos yelled. Rin bit the arm harder, glaring with all of his might at Chaos. The child Haru and Natasha raised was gone. This child was no longer a child. He had seen too much to be considered a child.

The red haired girl with red eyes that Haru had shot grabbed the little boy and pulled him away from Chaos, who stared at the wound with shock. The girl scoffed, "Feisty little devil, isn't he? He would be perfect for either one of us, don't you think?"

"I hate you!" Rin yelled at Chaos, his eyes filled with rage, "Die! Just die!"

Chaos smirked, "Oh, how many times have I heard that? You're not the first and you won't be the last."

Tyson screamed at the injustice and pain of this memory. He hated this memory. He didn't want to see more of Rin's pain. He didn't want the pain, he thought as he covered his ears and closed his eyes.

" _Take it away,"_ He cried, _"End this nightmare!"_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: I'm ending it like this. Too bad. Suffer the angst until I upload chapter 14.**

 **Sasha: That's harsh.**

 **Erebus: Drop a review after you get over the death of Natasha and Haru, alright?**

 **Sasha: From Kai and Night's talk about stars to Zeo fighting Hecate and Nemesis to the appearance of the Third Elder to Brooklyn and Zeus secretly plotting against the Forsaken Fallen to Rin and Tyson forced to relive the other's worst memories, this chapter is enough to give anyone whiplash.**

 **Erebus: Brace yourselves. We're almost close to the end of the Awakening Arc and nearing the Battle Arc.**

 **Anime: See ya, guys!**

 **Translation (Russian talk)**

 **Rin: Mama, look!**

 **Natasha: Rin, run. Get out of here.**

 **Rin: Mama? What's happening?**

 **Natasha: Do as I say, Rin.**

 **Rin: What about daddy?**

 **Natasha: Your father will be fine. Go!**

 ***akuma - demon**

 ***otosan - father**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next Chapter: Battle Cry**

 **Song: Battle Cry by Skillet**


	15. Chapter 14: Battle Cry

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: Rapid P. Saiko**

 **Anime: Hey, I'm back! Sorry for being gone for so long. I've been kinda sad because of reasons you will understand when you read chapter 16. Anyways, welcome to chapter 14: Battle Cry.**

 **Rin: Thank you to reviewers Little. A. Granger, KinomiyaHiwatari and Rapid P. Saiko.**

 **Tyson: Not much to say except that you need to prepare yourself for the upcoming angst. Also, if you want, read Dearly Beloved. This one-shot takes place after chapter 13 but before chapter 14. Night and Chaos make references to the events that happened there.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **14: Battle Cry**

 _Granger Dojo, Bey City, Japan_

Ray was the first one to wake up and it wasn't pleasant waking up to Daichi's foot on his face. He sighed and moved the limb away from him before sitting up. Everyone was asleep in a futon – even Kai, much to his surprise – and were spread out throughout the floor so Ray had to be careful to not step on anyone as he made his way out of the room.

Once outside, he heard humming and frowned. Who else could be awake at this time? He followed the humming until he was standing at the doorway of the kitchen. He could only see the back of the person but he instantly recognized the blonde hair. "Max?" Ray asked, "What are you doing here so early?"

" _Huh?"_

Ray took a step back when Max turned back to look at him as his eyes were white instead of the usual blue. He frowned as he stared at the currently-possessed body of his close friend, "Night? What are you doing?"

The ancient spirit smiled before motioning at the cooking supplies all around him, _"I am preparing breakfast for you and the others. I figured I could help out and prepare the food. I hope you do not mind."_ He chuckled, scratching the back of his head, _"This might be the first time I am cooking but I am giving it my best."_

Ray grinned, his small fangs glinting, "Well, you could've just asked for help."

Night looked down, staring at the pancake he was making with intensity that Ray found odd, _"I wanted it to be a surprise, hence the reason why Max is still asleep."_ His eyes softened before turning to Ray, _"I am sorry. Am I inconveniencing you?"_

Ray shook his head, "Not at all. Do you want any help with this?"

Night's face brightened, _"Yes! Thank you so much, Ray!"_

Ray began to make more pancake batter and watched Night out of the corner of his eye. The ancient spirit seemed happier than usual but his eyes looked sad, as if he had seen something that caused him great pain. He smiled sadly again before he felt Ray's eyes on him, _"Is something wrong?"_

Ray stared at him seriously, making Night falter in their eye contact. Ray spoke after a long silence, "Is something wrong, Night? You seem to be in a better mood than usual. That's something good but. . . Why do you seem so sad?"

Night lowered the heat before switching it off and sighed, _"Ray, last night, I saw the stars move. Something terrible will come to pass soon. I hope that you and the others will be able to overcome this."_

"Something terrible? Like what?"

Night closed his eyes, looking pensive, _"Blood will be shed, a star will go out and I can feel overwhelming sadness approaching."_ He opened his eyes, sighing again, _"I am afraid that someone close to us will breathe their last."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Kai was floating in a world surrounded by darkness, Dranzer standing in front of him. He could see Dranzer was in pain, his hands resting over his heart while he was in a fetal position. What was going on with him? Was he suffering physically or emotionally? "Dranzer?" He whispered, reaching out for the spirit that was the one closest to his soul.

Dranzer looked back at him with saddened eyes before looking away. At that moment, Kai heard a noise behind him and turned around to see a girl running towards him, laughing good-naturedly. He blinked, staring at Dranzer to question who this featureless female was but the phoenix was gone. What was going on?

"Brother! Come here! Look what I have found!" The girl laughed before grabbing Kai's hand and leading him somewhere. Kai looked around and saw the darkness vanishing, becoming trees and bushes. He wasn't floating in darkness anymore; he was running in green grass. The girl around him starting to form features, red hair glinting in the sunlight that had appeared. Her eyes were red and sparkling with joy. A wide grin appeared in her face, followed by the appearance of a white tunic and bare feet and red wings.

She released his hand and pointed at the clear river, "I found this a while back when hiding from Dark Driger and Driger. Is this not wonderful?" She laughed before jumping into the water, shivering a bit before turning to him. She raised an eyebrow, "I know we may be fire-orientated but we can still be in water. At least Draciel and Dark Draciel aren't here, huh?" She looked away from him before crouching, "Do you think I can catch one of those 'fish' creatures that Daisuke is fond of?

"Dark Dranzer." Kai muttered, finally realizing the identity of this girl.

"What is it?" She asked, reaching out for a fish. She screamed as she lost her balance and fell in. He walked forward to try to see if she was alright when he caught his reflection in the water. He paused, staring at the reflection that showed that he was no longer Kai Hiwatari. His appearance was identical to Dranzer's in his human form.

What is this? Why is Dark Dranzer here? Is this just a dream or is this a memory? He wondered, a hand touching his cheek in wonder. He heard splashing where Dark Dranzer had fallen in but he knew she'd be fine.

Dark Dranzer surfaced, laughing loudly. Kai looked up in surprise, eyes wide because that had not been the laugh of a girl. In fact, that was a laugh that he hadn't heard properly since his childhood.

Sitting down in the middle of the river in place of Dark Dranzer was Rin.

Rin ( _or was it Dark Dranzer?_ ) looked at him and tilted his ( _her?_ ) head before grinning. It hadn't changed, Kai mused. Rin still had Natasha's mischievous grin, "You should not stare at your reflection too much, brother," He ( _she?_ ) said, still smiling widely, "It will not change your hideous appearance."

"What does that mean?" Kai asked. Rin ( _it wasn't him, Kai thought to himself_ ) laughed again before getting up. He ( _she_ ) stretched, his ( _her_ ) wings outstretching. He ( _she_ ) turned to Kai, that wide grin still present on his ( _her_ ) face.

"You are so easy to anger. No wonder Dragoon says you are hot-headed" Rin ( _Dark Dranzer_ ) stated before sitting down on the bank of the river. He patted the ground next to him, looking up at Kai, "Say, Dranzer?"

"What is it?" Kai asked before sitting down next to Rin.

Rin looked at the river, dipping his bare feet into the water, "I was thinking a lot about the Elders. Why . . . do we follow them?" Kai felt his fist tightening around an object in his hand and mentally frowned. What in the world was he holding?

"Think about it. What have they ever done for us besides creating us?" He asked, creating a small flame that floated in the palm of his hand, "Well, maybe Third is not as bad as the others. And Seventeenth, too. They have treated us as if we were not tools. The others, however, are not needed."

Rin stood up, smiling up at the sky while his wings outstretched in what was probably a habit of his, "That is why I am joining Chaos, the same way I joined him when Erebus and the others started to cause trouble. I will fight by his side again because he has treated us like we are equal."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kai asked. Rin looked down at him with a confused expression before crouching down next to him.

"Is it not obvious?" He grabbed Kai's hands, smiling, "I am asking you to join us! Chaos loves you too, after all! He does not want to hurt you! He wants all of us to be together! What do you say?" He got up, releasing his grip on Kai's hands, "You do have time to think about it. We got centuries, brother."

"Dark Dranzer, I am sorry. I did not want to do this." Kai said. He looked down to see that the thing he had been holding in his hand was a golden dagger that showed his reflection. Rin's eyes widened before he began walking back slowly. Kai could see the question of fight or flight dancing in the other's eyes but he acted before Rin could reach a decision. He threw fire at him, making Rin scream in surprise before trying to get out of the river.

Kai launched himself at Rin, straddling him. The black-haired teenager struggled under him, trying to throw him off while trying to bite and scratch at him. He could feel tears run down his eyes while Rin was staring up at him with undisguised fear. He brandished the dagger before embedding it deep in Rin's wings. Rin's scream was the same one he had heard when the teenager had been tortured by Dark Driger. It hurt him to hear it.

"Stop it! Stop it! That hurts!" Rin was writhing in pain, trying to push Kai away. Kai dragged the dagger upwards, eliciting another pain filled scream from Rin. There were tears in the corner of Rin's eyes. Kai took out the dagger and did the same thing to the other wing.

"Dranzer, why are you doing this?!" Rin yelled as Kai hacked at the red and currently bleeding wings. His vision was getting blurry because of the tears. He couldn't even speak for a long time, only listening to the cries and sobs of the male underneath him.

"I am sorry." He finally whispered before getting up. He wiped the tears away so he had a perfect view of the mangled wings that used to be so majestic. Rin had curled up in a small ball, sobbing furiously while one hand tried to touch the bloodied wings but hesitating as if he didn't want to know the extent of the damage.

"Dranzer?" Kai turned to see Tyson, Max and Ray standing on the edge of the forest. He could see Daichi standing behind him, staring at the horrified scene in front of him. Wait, that wasn't Daichi. His eyes were the wrong color and he didn't look as hyper as he usually did.

"Dragoon? Driger? Draciel? Daisuke?" Rin asked, looking at them pleadingly, reaching out to them with his bloodied hand, "Dranzer has gone mad. My wings hurt. Do you think Ninth can fix them?"

"So you actually did it." Max muttered, looking at Kai with sympathetic eyes, "I did not think you would be able to. I am sorry we made you do this."

Tyson knelt down next to Rin, brushing the other male's bangs away along with the tears that were running down his eyes and sighed, "We are sorry. You have become a threat to the humans. According to Daisuke, they fear the constant battle between light and darkness. Even the Elders say you are a threat." Kai could see realization dawn in Rin's pain-filled eyes and horror filled his face, shaking his head while muttering 'no' over and over again as if it was a mantra.

"What have you done to the others?" Rin demanded.

"All but you, Chaos and Night have been sealed." Ray said as he closed his eyes, not looking at the betrayal written in Rin's face.

"Traitors!" Rin yelled, " _We_ are your family! _We_ are your friends! How could you betray us? We love you! How could you toss us aside for the ones that created us so we could be nothing but tools? How could you toss us aside for mortals that you barely know? You betray us." He began to sob, staring at Kai with eyes filled with so much pain, "You did it. You have broken what was left of my heart."

"I am sorry." Kai replied.

"I loved you, Dranzer. You were my brother."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Kai woke up to someone shaking his shoulders. He opened his eyes and was met with the worried glance of Nami. Her hair that she usually kept up in twin ponytails cascaded down her shoulders and hid Kai's face from outside world.

"He showed you, didn't he?"

"Wha-?" Kai asked before he could feel the wetness in his cheeks. He wiped his eyes, trying to remove the evidence of the tears. He sat up and looked around to see that there was no one around but Nami and himself.

"Dranzer. He showed you what happened millennium ago, when he and the other holy beasts sealed Dark Dranzer, betraying her trust and causing her to fall deeper into darkness." Nami said, playing with a stand of her hair.

"She had Rin's face. She was Rin." Kai muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"I think Dranzer did that intentionally." Nami said, grabbing her hair ties and proceeding to put her hair up. The fourteen year old looked and sounded so mature when she continued, "He and Dark Dranzer were best friends. They were half of the same soul so they were literally soul mates. You and Rin share their history. When Dranzer showed you what happened, he changed the faces of those there to people you know and care for. You now understand the pain Dranzer went through when he betrayed his dear sister."

Kai had no idea it had been that hard for Dranzer to seal away Dark Dranzer. He had forgotten that, before they were sworn enemies, they had been closer than siblings. He never stopped to see the other side of this story. It was easier to overlook the villain side of the story, he supposed.

Nami smiled at him weakly, "That's our burden, Kai. We have to see these things so we can understand the past. She stood up and grinned, "Come on. Night and Ray made breakfast. I think you need the food, Kai." She left the room, leaving the phoenix blader alone in the empty dojo to think about her words.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Unknown Area_

Chaos was lying down next to Gaea's tree where Rin and Tyson were currently watching their worst memories. There were tears going down Tyson's closed eyes and Chaos wondered what scenes of Rin's tragic past Tyson was watching.

" **What are you doing, Chaos?"**

He sat up to see Ann standing in front of him, smiling fondly down at him. He smiled up at her, "Just remembering a good dream."

Ann raised an eyebrow before sitting down next to him, **"That's a rare occurrence for you. What was that dream about, Chaos? I've never seen you look so happy. Not since the aftermath of our war with Eden's Rapture."** She started running her hand through Chaos's hair.

Chaos closed his eyes, smiling serenely, "A dream filled with the stars, the gentle wind and the wavering moon. A promise and a song that speaks of reunion. It was a good dream."

Ann frowned, **"Did you dream of Sasha again?"**

Chaos shook his head, still smiling. She blinked, **"Then who did you dream of?"**

"You know the old saying. If I talk about that dream, it will never come true. And that is a dream that I would like to come true." He stated before looking up, still looking as passive as Night. For some strange reason, the bit-beasts inhabiting Ann's body shuddered at that comparison. Chaos wasn't calm and peaceful; he was the opposite of that. So why was he acting this way?

Ann shook her head, wondering what in the world he was talking about. She stood up and walked to Tyson, brushing the tears away from his cheeks before brushing the bangs away from Rin's face. She sighed, **"You know, they're holding out better than last time. The last time they were here, Tyson was in so much pain that he cried tears of blood. Remember?"**

Chaos nodded, "It was terrifying. It just makes me wonder if humans have a limit. This boy, Takao, is reaching his limit." Chaos laid down again, closing his eyes, "It's as if he's decided to die and his body is complying with his wish. Perhaps I should leave his body for a while until he can recover."

" **What nonsense are you spouting? You'll need his body tomorrow."** The possessed female informed him. When she was greeted by a confused Chaos, she placed her hands on her hips, **"Do you have any idea what tomorrow is?"**

"August 3, according to the human calendar." Chaos said, opening one of his eyes. Every day was the same in his mind, anyways. Days passed so quickly that he didn't even think too much of them.

" **Tomorrow is the day. The day the darkness stole your light away."** Ann stated and Chaos sat up quickly, looking at her with a mixture of recognition and sorrow. She looked away and turned to gaze at the sleeping forms of Rin and Tyson, **"That's right, Chaos. Tomorrow is the anniversary of Sasha's death."**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

After breakfast, all the bladers were inside the dojo, Night floating above their heads while he counted heads. Kenny kept asking him to stop floating but he didn't stop, smiling at all the holy beasts that the bladers had. It was like being reunited with all his brothers and sisters.

"So what is our plan of action?" Tala asked, once Night finally took a seat between Kai and Max. The red head was sitting next to his teammates and was far away from his crazy fan Shun.

"Find these dark bit-beasts and defeat them." Rick replied. Aya scoffed, shaking her head in disappointment. She was leaving her fate – and, by extension, the fate of Rin, Tyson, Kaori, Ann and Julia – in the hands of people like this man? She face-palmed, ignoring the look Nami sent her.

Night sighed, his eyes looking older than his current appearance, _"As lovely as a plan that is, you will have some difficulty doing that, Anderson-san."_ He scratched the back of his head before looking up at the ceiling, _"My siblings are one of the most powerful holy beasts that were created by the Elders. You will have a difficult time in defeating them."_

"So what can we do?" Garland asked the wise spirit, "Brooklyn, Tyson, Julia and those other three tamers have been kidnapped and are in their hands. Who knows in what state Brooklyn, Tyson and Rin are in."

"First, we should probably try finding their hideout." Hiro answered for Night. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking pensive, "Not to mention we need to keep them away from their tamers. Aya, Hikaru, Shun, Nami, Riku and Raul are in danger if they're taken by them."

"You should include yourself, Hiro-nii." Nami inputted, leaning on Shun's shoulder. Kai stared at the girl and then turned to look at Shun, Hikaru, Aya, Riku and Hiro. He couldn't allow them to fall into darkness. He had already failed Rin by letting Chaos take him away. He couldn't fail again. He felt Dranzer's calming presence in the back of his mind and he felt better.

"But Raul isn't here in Japan," Ozuma turned to Ray before he continued to speak, "He's still in Spain and you only sent one person to watch over him."

"Zeo is a capable blader and he has the aid of the Cyber Bit-Beasts that his father decided to give to him." Kenny said, typing something in his laptop. Night wanted to investigate what that was but decided against it, staying by Kai and Max's side. It was probably one of those odd email things again.

"I don't think the Forsaken Fallen will try to attack him knowing that there are five beasts besides Raul's Torch Pegasus protecting him," Kenny stated, "Still, it would be nice if Raul and Zeo were here."

" _They will be here soon,"_ Night muttered. Max raised an eyebrow at the spirit but Night did not elaborate. With their mental connection, though, Max saw the back of a young woman with long black hair who was wearing a regal-looking green dress. He had no idea what that meant, though.

"So far, only Kaori and Julia have been possessed while Tyson and Rin are in their clutches. We don't know what happened to Brooklyn and that girl, Ann, is also under their control. Anything else?" Emily asked.

"We're missing a huge piece of the puzzle." They all turned to look at Riku, who was staring at the sword that contained Black Dranzer. Despite the fact that all eyes were on him, Riku did nothing to meet the eyes of the others when he continued to speak, "The Forsaken Fallen, the bit-beast Hilary's grandmother found, Fuyu-san, the tamers, the Elders. How do they all fit together?"

Night stood up and smiled, looking at something behind Max, _"I believe the answer to your question has arrived."_

"What are you talking about?" Max asked before he felt hands cover his eyes. He touched the hands and he was more than alarmed when he did not recognize who it was. Still, he didn't feel threatened. In fact, he felt himself growing calmer. This calming presence reminded a lot of Night's own aura.

"Guess who!"

All the bladers in the room screamed at the appearance of the young woman that currently had Max 'hostage'. The woman blinked at them in surprise, "Come on, what's with you guys? I didn't do anything bad, did I?"

" _Third!"_ Night launched himself at the odd woman. The woman – Third? – released her hold on Max and caught the laughing spirit, enveloping him in a hug, _"It has been a long time! I missed you!"_

"Who the hell are you?!" Bryan asked, his beyblade firmly in place in his launcher. Several others had followed his example. Third raised an eyebrow, as if questioning whether they knew what they were doing with those launchers. Night looked alarmed, stuck between being horrified and being amused.

"Arguably the strongest being in this universe." They turned around to see Raul and Zeo standing on the doorway leading into the dojo. Zeo sighed, running a hand through his hair, adjusting Raul so that the red-head – who should've still been in the hospital – could now lean on the wall, "Guys, this is the Third Elder. She is one of seventeen that created the holy beasts and takes care of the balance of the universe."

"You make me sound so important. Thank you for that, Zeo." Third said, patting Night's head, who looked more excited than ever, "I have come here because my darling nephew Chaos is screwing with the balance of the universe and just got his mother convicted."

'Seventeen has been imprisoned?' Dizzi asked while Night stared at Third with worried eyes.

Third nodded before waving her hand, "That's information humans shouldn't know about. Stupid rule, really, but First's rules will be abided. Otherwise, you end up like Eighteen."

"Eighteen?"

"Exactly."

" _Third,"_ Night tried to sound stern but his smiling face prevented him from having the intended effect, _"We all know that there wasn't an Eighteenth Elder. You are just messing with them, are you not?"_

"You don't ever let me have fun, Night." Third grumbled childishly and Kai couldn't help but wonder how someone who was older than even the oldest bit-beast – Chaos – was this childish. He wondered if all the Elders were like this.

"And how is an Elder going to help us?" Ming-Ming asked.

'Show some respect there, missy!' Dizzi chastised the female blader.

Third sat down in front of the Granger sword where Black Dranzer was sealed in before staring at all of them, suddenly serious. Night sat down next to her and she motioned at Riku, "Riku here has a point. You are missing an important detail in your intricate puzzle. And I know what it is."

"You do?" Hilary asked, leaning forward, "Can you tell us?"

Third nodded before she began, "I was one of the few Elders that placed importance in the human Fuyu, otherwise known as Hoshiko Hirano. She was the first person Chaos kidnapped after releasing his siblings for the first time in millenniums. As you all know, she had a bit-beast in her possession when she was kidnapped, a fact Chaos knew."

"Who was that bit-beast?" Oliver inquired.

"Her name is Artemis," Third answered, "She looks a lot like Wolborg, except with black fur rather than white. She was the guardian of the temple where they had hidden the Forsaken Fallen. However, she was trapped inside a necklace and could not escape. She watched Chaos's seal break and kept the excavation team alive. If she had not been around, I'm afraid those doomed archeologists wouldn't have survived.

"On the day that the explorers were going to leave, she saw that Chaos latched himself on a human, a young man named Haru Mizushima, and followed suit. She latched herself on Hiromi Hirano and so, that day, both Chaos and Artemis left the temple. What Artemis did not expect, however, was for Hiromi to give the necklace she was trapped in to Hoshiko. When Chaos kidnapped the girl, all of the members of the Forsaken Fallen tried to make Artemis give in to them. In the process, they made Hoshiko go insane."

Hilary placed a hand over her mouth, looking pained. Hikaru grabbed Shun's hand and squeezed it. Shun squeezed back, no words needing to pass through the twins so they could reassure the other. He knew how much Hikaru cared about Fuyu and to hear this must hurt. She was like the older sister none of them ever had.

"Feeling pity over the girl, Chaos erased her memories of the past and of her past torture and gave her the name Fuyu so she could live again. When they started kidnapping all of those children, their potential tamers, she took care of them and fed them."

"After six months, she helped us escape," Hiro continued the tale, "As we all ran to the forest to have cover, she was shot on the leg. The last image I have of her is her yelling for us to run as a gun was pointed at her head. That's the end of it, isn't it?" Nami, Shun, Hikaru, Raul, Riku and Aya winced, all of them remembering the gunshot that had pierced the silence of the night after what appeared to have been a long time.

"No."

"What?!" They all yelled, eyes wide. Was this woman implying that Fuyu had never died that night? It couldn't be, Raul thought to himself. She was on the ground and had no weapon to deflect the bullet. What had happened?

"That's where Artemis comes in." Third winked, smiling briefly, "She saved the girl, transporting her to a place that the Forsaken Fallen avoided like a plague. I'm sure that Night knows exactly what I'm talking about."

Night looked down, _"The village where Daisuke and Sasha lived in. The first village where we first became aware of the existence of mortals. Chaos hates that place because of the bad memories he has."_

"Which is exactly why Artemis took Fuyu there. The girl was already fading away when Artemis asked her for her help to create a seal that would make the Forsaken Fallen slumber for at least twenty years until Artemis's new tamer arrived. Fuyu agreed to it and, in the beloved tree where Night and Chaos rested, released Artemis. Together, the two sealed the Forsaken Fallen. The strain was too much for Fuyu and she passed away."

"So that's what happened, huh?" Miguel muttered and they all looked down, feeling sorry for the girl that was known to most of them there as Fuyu.

"But what happened to Artemis?" Mystel asked.

Third raised an eyebrow, "What do you think? Her tamer died and she could not go anywhere else."

"Artemis is still in the ancient village." Ray gasped. He turned to Night and Third, "Can you take us there?"

" _I have not been in this world for millennium, Ray."_ Night stated before looking at all them, _"However, one among you knows the location of this village."_

"Who?" Max asked.

Night and Third shared a look before they both turned to Daichi. Daichi stared at them for a while until his eyes widened in shock, "What? You gotta be kidding me! Are you saying that-?"

"Daichi Sumeragi," Night said, "your village was where the beyblading sport began. Did you not think that is odd?" Daichi was silent before Night continued, "You are a descendant of Daisuke, the first human we befriended. You are the one who will take us back to that village. Take us to Artemis."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Sorry not sorry? Uh, yeah, this is going to get crazy soon. Brace yourselves for chapter 16. As Night has stated, someone is going to die. Sorry for that, you guys. Review and tell me how I'm doing. You can even guess who you think will die.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next Chapter: Rise**

 **Song: Rise by Skillet**


	16. Chapter 15: Rise

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: Rapid P. Saiko**

 **Anime: So, here we are in chapter 15. I can't believe it's been fifteen chapters. This is, so far, the longest story I've ever written.**

 **Tyson: And the darkest.**

 **Anime: Yeah, that too.**

 **Rin: *clears throat* Thank you for the reviews of last chapter. If it was possible, Anime would throw a party in your honor. To show her appreciation, she's written this.**

 **Tyson: Happy early birthday, SuPa4Natural!**

 **Rin: We updated this earlier than expected so, even though her birthday is in a couple of days, we're celebrating it now.**

 **Anime: Yeah! So, happy birthday! May you have many more!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **15: Rise**

 _Granger Dojo, Bey City, Japan_

Third had decided she'd transport them close to Daichi's home village tomorrow and asked them to eat and sleep properly for tomorrow. They decided not to bring a big crowd that would draw attention to themselves. Not to mention that some of them had to stay and take care of Black Dranzer and Raul.

Kai, Max, Ray, Daichi, Kenny, Hilary, Night, Aya, Riku, Hiro, Tala, Lee, Mariah, Michael, Robert, Ozuma, Zeo, Miguel and Garland had agreed to go to the ancient village while Third would accompany them. She informed them that she had already interfered once in their dealings against the Forsaken Fallen so she couldn't help them if they needed assistance.

Kai was outside when he heard footsteps approaching him. He turned around and was surprised to see Night standing behind him, holding a package in his hands. Night sat down and placed the package next to him, _"A young man asked me to deliver this to you."_

Kai stared at the package then back at Night, "How did you-? I thought Max was in the dojo with Ray, Aya and Riku."

Night smiled softly, _"He is. You see, I asked Third for a favor. I asked her if she could help me regain my physical body. Since I was sealed properly, I kept my physical body, unlike the others. I was just not strong enough to project it properly. Thanks to Third, I have regained my body."_

Kai patted Night in the back, "Glad to hear."

Night leaned closer, _"What is in the package?"_ Kai wondered if Night was aware that he was invading Kai's personal space. Kai didn't comment because it wasn't like Night would take advantage of his uncomfortableness. Rin and Tyson, on the other hand, would tease him endlessly.

Kai grabbed the package and opened it. Night heard Kai's breath hitch and tried to look at what Kai was looking at. His eyes softened when he finally caught a glimpse of what Kai had in his hands.

It was an old photo that seemed to have survived a fire of some sort as the edges were brown where they had been burned. In the picture, he could see six smiling people. Two of them – two grinning children that must have been four or five – were Rin and Kai. Kai was being carried by a couple Night knew were his parents. Rin was being carried by his parents as well, reaching out for whoever was taking the picture. Night turned to Kai, "This photograph-."

"Rin used to carry it all the time after the incident. Apparently, Akasuki found it and he never parted with it. Why did he-?" Kai asked before reaching in and finding another photograph, this one newer and in better condition.

It was a picture of Kai and the Bladebreakers, Tyson having an arm around his neck while Max was talking animatedly with Ray, who was laughing, while Kenny was trying to grab the attention of the bladers. Judging by how young they looked, Kai deduced that this picture was taken during the first tournament the Bladebreakers had been in. He hadn't even known Rin had gone to the tournaments.

There were more pictures in there – some of the past, some of the time he was with the Bladebreakers – and there were several letters and birthday cards there as well, all of them dating years back, as if Rin had wanted Kai to have them but decided not to send them. When Kai reached the bottom of the box, he was surprised when he found a tattered and old red scarf that seemed to belong to a child.

He gave out a mirthless chuckle, "After ten years, you show me this? What a lousy birthday present, Rin." He grabbed the scarf, remembering when he had gotten his mother to help make this scarf for Rin's sixth birthday. Maybe, this way, he had said, Rin won't get sick anymore.

Rin always wore the scarf, calling it his precious treasure. After the incident – after being kidnapped by the Forsaken Fallen – Rin had stopped wearing the scarf. Kai had always thought he had thrown it away. Here it was, though, after so long.

" _He does not plan to come back, does he?"_

Kai turned to Night, who was reading a letter. He passed it to Kai, who began to read through it. Night placed a hand on Kai's shoulder, _"That is his will. His butler Alexander will inherit the manor in Russia while his maid Akasuki will inherit the manor in Japan. You are the heir to Mizushima Enterprises and he has given a large sum of the inheritance to Riku, Aya, Hikaru, Shun and Nami. There is even a part in the inheritance for Voltaire and the Granger family, not to mention for several orphanages."_

"What an idiot." Kai muttered as he read the last time of Rin's will. He felt Dranzer wrap his arms around him mentally, "He has no sense of humor in his soul." Night wrapped his arms around Kai and hugged him, trying to make him relax as Night could see he was nearing the edge of an emotional breakdown.

" _He will not die, Kai. We will save Rin. You will not lose him or Tyson or anyone else. Do you understand?"_ Night asked, before smiling, _"I think Rin will want to say 'I told you so'."_

Kai chuckled, "As if."

Night sighed, before closing his eyes, patting Kai's head, _"Happy birthday, Kai. May you have many more."_

The letter that contained Rin's will fluttered to the ground, neither Kai nor Night interested in retrieving it. It had fallen face-up so anyone could read it if they wanted. As such, anyone could read that the last line of Rin's will stated: _When you and Tyson finally get together, I'll get to say 'I told you so'._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Area Unknown_

"You really want me to go to the Granger dojo and try to grab the rest of the tamers?" Zeus asked in a bored manner before crossing his arms around his chest, "Why should I do that?"

"Because we're going somewhere and you don't need to go and you have to make yourself useful." Hecate replied, poking him on the forehead. Zeus glared at her for doing that and he could feel annoyance coming from Brooklyn as well.

"Where are you going, anyways?" He asked.

Ann stared at him for a while before replying, **"It's about time Chaos decided to pay his respects to the one who showed him the light and the one who took that light away from him."**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Daichi's Village, Japan_

 _August 3; 5:00 p.m._

Third materialized them close to the village like she had promised them. All of them but Third and Night fell flat on their faces, much to everyone's disdain. Night chuckled softly, _"After a hundred years, I got used to the portals the Elders use. So do not fret if this happened to you."_

"Right." Hilary got to her feet before helping Kenny get to his feet.

Daichi grinned before getting to his feet, "Home sweet home! Man, it's been a long time since I've been here! Wonder if Mom's home." He looked around, "Hey, does that mean that all the bit-beasts come from this place?"

"Technically, yes," Third replied, helping Tala get to his feet, "but not really. They all come from another place in this universe. The same world where we Elders come from."

Night touched a tree, staring at it with a bright smile, _"Erebus and I played on this tree once. Is the old river still there? The one Driger and Dark Driger found when they were chasing after Dark Dranzer?"_

Nothing seemed to have changed in this place. The trees still seemed to grow towards the sky and the ground was still rich and fertile. The air was the same and the simple breeze that slightly moved their hair and clothes was the same one that had done that to them centuries ago. In such an odd era where everything seemed to have advanced quickly, it was nice to see something that hadn't changed.

"I found you!"

Everyone reached out for their blades while Daichi groaned, "Oh no! I can't believe she's here!" He grabbed Strata Dragoon and placed it in his launcher before releasing his blade. He did it just in time as a bluegreen blade crashed into Strata Dragoon. Daichi huffed when Strata Dragoon returned to him, "You never change, do ya, Saori?"

"No fair! I almost got you this time!"

They searched for the voice for a long time until Ray looked up and saw someone standing on one of the branches of the tree. He noticed the others finally found the girl's hiding space and they all stared.

The girl, who was probably around the same age as Daichi, had shoulder length purple hair and bright green eyes. She was wearing black breeches that cut off about three inches above her ankles and a short-sleeved light green shirt and wore fingerless green gloves. She was wearing running shoes but did not have any socks on. She grinned, waving down at them, "Hello down there!"

" _Wha-?"_ Night gasped, staring at the girl with widened eyes. This girl looked just like Sasha! But that was impossible. Sasha hadn't been able to have children before her death and Erebus split her soul so she could never be able to reincarnate. So who was this girl? Was she a descendant of one of Sasha's siblings?

Saori jumped down, retrieving her blade, "Sorry for the crazy entrance but it's Daichi's fault for not showing up sooner. You know I get lonely, Daichi! Besides, you promised me a rematch!"

"How about we do that later, Saori?" Daichi waved the girl away, "I need to get to the old tree where we used to play. Remember?"

Saori nodded, "Of course I remember. It's been acting strangely for months." She looked into the distance, in the direction where the tree was at, Max guessed. "At night, we see strange lights coming from that direction. You think it's a bit-beast, Daichi?"

Daichi nodded and Saori grinned, "Well, good luck finding it, okay? I'll be waiting at home, okay? See you later, Dai!" She ran ahead, heading towards the village. Night frowned again, staring at her retreating back and he could've sworn that the girl was actually Sasha.

"Who exactly was that?" Kenny asked.

Daichi shrugged, "That's just Saori. She's my cousin."

"No way!" They shouted, Third and Night sharing amused smiles. How could that girl be related to Daichi? Other than her wild nature and green eyes, the two didn't share any similarities.

Daichi pouted, "Hey, that's a bit rude." He started walking, the others having no choice but to follow. Kai recognized these trees. He had seen this in the dream memory Dranzer had showed him. Nothing seemed to have changed after all, he thought.

After a while of walking, Daichi stopped and pointed, "The old tree. It's been here since long before we settled here. There's a legend that an ancient god slept in its roots and that's why it has lived such a good life."

Third snorted before muttering, "I wouldn't call First a god."

"So this is where Artemis is?" Hilary asked before they all saw something shining in the middle of the branches of the old tree. The old tree – no, Hilary thought, this is the Hollow Tree of Life, the tree that Rin had always talked about. She walked forward, reaching out for the beast.

"Look." Mariah gasped and they all saw a majestic black wolf with green eyes appear. Hilary reached out for Artemis, smiling when she felt her soul responding to the ancient beast. Was this how the other felt when they were with their bit-beasts? This felt nice, Hilary said before Artemis nudged her outstretched hand.

" _Artemis and Hilary have made a bond."_ Night stated just as Artemis disappeared, Hilary holding a glowing necklace in the palm of her hand. He smiled, _"It is nice to see a human and a holy beast interact, do you not think so?"_ The last question was directed at Third Elder, who smiled back at him, nodding in agreement.

"Hilary's got a bit-beast now?" Max grinned at the brunette, "If you had told me that the girl in the airport about three years who couldn't even see a bit-beast would get one, I wouldn't have believed you."

"None of us would've believed it, Max," Ray replied, "Then again, we wouldn't have believed that a bit-beast was trying to take control of the world and that there are seventeen old beings guarding the universe. Life is stranger than fiction, don't you think?"

"Definitely."

They all felt themselves relax. Artemis's aura was calming, the way Night's was. It was nothing like any other aura they had felt before.

Third Elder stopped smiling and turned around, feeling the wind play with her hair. When she turned, she saw the illusion of a young fourteen year old girl. A girl with purple hair, sky blue eyes and was wearing a white dress. She was shaking her head before she turned to run.

"Sasha?" She asked, running after the phantom. She saw the girl turn around and shook her head, as if telling her not to follow her. But she needed to know where this ghost was going. After all, this ghost wasn't supposed to be here.

" _Third, where are you going?"_ Night asked, running after her. Everyone was shocked that they decided to follow the two ancient beings.

Sasha was urging her not to follow but she had to know why this apparition existed. Erebus had split her soul in half so she couldn't reincarnate so there was no way that she could even be a spirit. So why was she here? How was she here?

" _Third, wait for me!"_ Night yelled, running faster. He didn't understand where she was going for a while until he started noticing that the trees started looking familiar. He froze, his eyes wide. He remembered running through this same road-

" _That was Chaos screaming!" Dark Dranzer yelled, Night running behind her while Dragoon, Dranzer and Dark Driger ran next to her. He could hear Chaos's lamented and horror filled scream piercing the peaceful day. Why was he screaming? Why could he hear sorrow in that cry?_

" _What is going on?" Dragoon asked._

No, he shook his head and continued running. This was not that day. This was not the day that his beloved brother Erebus became a killer. This was not the day that the gentle part of Chaos's soul was locked away. This was another day. He hit his foot on a tree root and stumbled-

" _Careful!" Erebus caught Night before he fell. He brushed the hair away from his younger brother's face, looking worried and agitated, "Did you hear Chaos too?"_

" _Erebus, what is going on?" Night asked, holding onto his brother's robes._

" _I am not sure. Let us go! I fear Chaos needs us." Erebus stated and they all began to run, Chaos's cries sounding louder._

-but he caught himself before he fell to the ground. He didn't have Erebus around to catch him if he fell, after all. He saw the clearing up ahead and he rushed there. When he got there, he saw-

 _Chaos was on the ground crying to the heavens, holding a bleeding and mutilated corpse. Night could see purple hair matted with blood and had to hold in his urge to throw up. Dark Dranzer walked forward, stopping a few feet from the sobbing Chaos. Erebus grabbed Night's hand and they both walked forward, stopping next to Dark Dranzer._

" _Why?!" Chaos yelled, staring at them with lost eyes, "Why did they take her away? Why was she taken from my side? She did no wrong. All she did that was wrong was to love me."_

 _Erebus walked forward and sat down next to Chaos, hugging the male and running a hand through Chaos's hair, "Life is cruel that way. You can love something so much that the world will try its hardest to rip it from you."_

 _Chaos cried louder, burying his face in Erebus's chest, never once letting go of Sasha's dead corpse. Night sat down next to Chaos, hugging him because he didn't know what else to do. Dark Dranzer began to sing while Erebus and Night tried their hardest to keep Chaos from crying._

-Third was standing in the edge of a beautiful meadow – Sasha's Meadow – filled with the same colorful flowers. It seemed that this place had also stood the test of time. Nothing of this place had changed.

"Night, what's going on . . . ?" Max asked, stopping behind Night, the other bladers doing the same thing.

There, in the middle of the meadow, stood three figures, looming over a kneeling one. The one on the ground was shaking while another tried to comfort him. Third walked forward, "Chaos."

The person on the ground turned and it was at that moment that most of the bladers gathered there got their glimpse of Chaos for the first time. What they hadn't expected, however, were the tears that were running down his pale cheeks.

"What are you doing here, Third Elder?" Hecate asked, glaring at everyone else.

"I might ask you the same question, my darling little girl." Third replied, staring at the beasts in front of her. No one missed the slight flinch in Hecate's body when Third had spoken. "I thought you avoided this place like the plague, Chaos," The ancient elder continued, this time speaking to the first of the holy beasts, "This is a place with horrible memories for you."

Chaos stood, staring at Third with tired eyes, "I am aware of what happened here, Third. This is the place Erebus killed Sasha and is the place where Night and I were sealed, betrayed by the ones we thought were our brothers." He scoffed, looking away, "I only came here to pay my respects to my dear Sasha. The human whose only sin was that she fell in love with a creature that can never obtain love."

" _Do you truly believe that?"_ Night asked, walking towards his siblings and ignoring Third's warning glance. He frowned, _"Saying those words, Chaos . . . you disappoint Sasha, Seventeen and me. Do you enjoy hurting those that love you with those cold, emotionless words?"_

Chaos flinched before glaring at Night, "I don't need to hear that from you, of all people. Don't test me, Night. I told you that the next time we met, we'd be enemies. Do you want to fight me, Night?"

" _Yes."_ Night said before materializing a silver and black beyblade, along with a launcher and a ripcord. He pointed it at Chaos, _"I did not forget your words. The dream is gone. This is the cruel reality where we stand as enemies, my dear Chaos."_

Chaos took a step back before looking at the ground, "Is this how it is? You'll stand by them and not by me?"

" _I will not allow you to destroy this world that I love."_

Chaos's eyes turned black for a moment before returning to normal. He took out his own beyblade and launcher before pointing it at Night, "So be it, then. But don't forget our promise, you got that?"

Night smiled, _"No, I have not forgotten it."_

Kai felt Aya grab his hand and squeezed it, as if she was seeking comfort. She looked up at him, "Kai, this is going to be a battle between the two strongest bit-beasts. Do you think something like this will happen again?"

"I'm not sure." He replied before turning his gaze to Night and Chaos. He closed his eyes before he began the countdown, "Three . . . Two . . . One."

"Let it rip." Aya muttered.

At that instant, both Night and Chaos launched their blades at each other, the blades clashing in midair before falling to the ground. Chaos smirked before speaking, "Kill the humans. It's not like Third can stop you."

" _What?"_ Night cried out before Ann, Hecate and Nemesis all grinned and ran towards the bladers. He turned, _"No, do not do it!"_

"Don't forget about me, Night." Chaos spoke cruelly before hitting Night's blade. Night flew back with a small cry, glaring at Chaos. Chaos smirked, "Let's see if these humans can handle this, alright?"

"Get down!" Riku yelled and they all ducked the wind attack Dark Dragoon had thrown their way. Max took out Draciel and launched it at Ann. At the same time, Ray, Daichi and Kai had launched their own blades and were protecting the others who were already launching their blades.

" **Dark Flame Spiral."** Ann, using Dark Dranzer's power, spoke, the attack making its way to Hilary. Hilary squeezed Artemis's necklace before the holy beast came out, protecting her from the attack. She paused before frowning, **"Artemis, huh?"** She smirked as Hilary, Ray, Max, Daichi and Kai turned their full attention towards her.

Nemesis was fighting against Tala, Michael, Lee and Ozuma, who were putting up a good fight against the ancient spirit. She didn't seem to be overwhelmed by the bit-beasts and was grinning at the thought of a challenge.

Hecate was fighting against Robert, Zeo, Miguel and Garland and laughed as she conjured several versions of herself to confuse them. Meanwhile, Kenny, Aya and Riku were off to the side, being protected by Hiro and Mariah in case they were attacked. Third was cursing, wondering why Elders could only interfere once in this war.

The sky around them darkened and Ann paused her attack to turn around, looking at the direction where Chaos and Night were battling.

" _Eternal Nyx Attack!"_ Night yelled and a dark, shapeless creature – Night's true form – attacked an equally shapeless and dark thing that was Chaos's true form. Chaos yelled as he flew in the air, crashing onto a tree. He held his head, a cut on the side of his forehead bleeding.

"Not bad, Night. My turn." He smirked before his eyes turned black, his beyblade forming a miniature galaxy, "Chaotic Galaxy Destruction."

Night gasped for breath as several cuts appeared on his body and he screamed, falling to the ground. His blood dripped on the nearby flowers and he hissed, _"That was a low blow, Chaos."_

"Says you." Chaos spat out, blood coming out from the side of his mouth. He wiped it away, frowning. He should've rested Takao's body before coming here. But it was too late now, he decided. His blade attacked Night's relentlessly, not giving the younger holy beast a break.

" **Try to make this more exciting!"** Ann giggled as she skillfully dodged the attacks of Kai, Max, Ray, Daichi and Hilary. Her eyes turned golden and her blade began to launch bolts of lightning at them.

"How do we plan on beating this beast without hurting Ann?" Max asked, Draciel moving in a zig-zag to avoid being hit by any of the lightning bolts. He glanced at the direction where Chaos and Night were blading and noticed it wasn't looking good for Night. The odds weren't on their favor, Max thought with a grimace as Ann's blade slammed into Draciel.

"Artemis, Starlight Dance!" Hilary yelled and Artemis's eyes glowed silver before the blade began to shoot out bright objects that looked a lot like stars. Ann yelled in pain when they made contact with the blade. She growled and Hilary turned to Kai, "Get her, guys!"

"Dranzer!"

"Driger!"

"Draciel!"

"Strata-Dragoon!"

The four blades hit Ann's blade and a scream that made their blood freeze came out of Ann's mouth. For a moment, they saw all the holy beasts that inhabited the young girl's body before she fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

"How dare you!" Chaos yelled, his eyes glowing.

Night was on his knees, panting, while he held his right shoulder that had been injured. He saw Chaos's rage and turned around to see what had gotten him so angry. He froze, recognizing this attack, before yelling, _"Get out of here, now!"_

Chaos began to mumble something under his breath while the area around his blade started becoming black. Small, white lights were forming while the blade began to float. He closed his eyes and lifted his right arm before opening his eyes and finally speaking, "Extinction of Cosmos."

The ground underneath everyone began to shake uncontrollably, as if an earthquake was happening. Hecate jumped while Nemesis grabbed Ann and began to float. Third closed her eyes while Night got to his feet, an hand reaching towards Chaos. At that moment, the hand that Chaos had up in the air formed a fist.

They all felt extreme pain shake their body before they let out loud screams. Kai could feel something wrap itself around his whole body and he felt as if his energy was being consumed. He had no idea how many minutes passed before the pain was gone and he, along with the others, fell to the ground.

"They're not dead." Nemesis said, disappointed.

Hecate scoffed, "Obviously, Night wanted to play the hero. Isn't that right?" The two turned to see the beast standing on trembling legs. Blood was coming out of his nose and the side of his mouth while the wounds he had received earlier were bleeding profusely now.

"You could've saved yourself from that pain if you had joined us." Nemesis said, looking away from Night as he fell forward, gasping for breath. She narrowed her eyes at Chaos, "I know how you feel about him so don't you dare try and help him. He's our enemy now."

"Don't treat me like a liability." Chaos muttered before smiling cruelly, "Come on, let's retrieve the tamers here. I'm sure Zeus has done his job so let's do ours."

"With pleasure." Hecate said before creating black tendrils. One of the tendrils moved and wrapped themselves around Aya's waist, who gave out a small cry of pain, before she was lifted to the sky. The two other tendrils wrapped themselves around Hiro and Riku.

"Please, no." Riku whispered weakly as he was lifted in the air, "I don't want to go back. I want to regain my sanity."

" **What a shame."** Ann muttered from her place in Nemesis's arms before turning to smirk at him, her eyes glowing golden, **"Where we are going, you're going to lose it again, my darling Riku."**

Riku stared at Ann with obvious fear, tears gathering on his eyes before they fell. He shook his head, muttering 'no' over and over again, as if that was going to make everything stop. He hiccupped, "Ray, help me. Please."

"Let him go, you bastards."

Chaos looked down to stare at Kai, who was glaring at Chaos. He rolled his eyes and created four tendrils that wrapped themselves around Kai's wrists and ankles. Kai gave out a small grunt of discomfort as he was lifted up until he was at eyelevel with Chaos.

"You have a great ability in annoying me, Kai Hiwatari." Chaos spoke, spitting out Kai's name as if it was something disgusting.

"And you have the great ability in hurting those I care for." Kai replied, "Tyson, Rin, Riku, Aya and everyone else are people I call friends. I can't allow you to hurt them anymore. When will you stop tormenting them?"

"Says the one who hurts his friends more than I have," Chaos said, placing a cold hand on Kai's cheek, "I may have killed Rin's parents but who was it that didn't help him when he cried out for help? You never eased his pain and never tried to close the gap he had created to save you.

"As for Tyson . . . I may have tortured him but that pain was nothing compared to all those times you betrayed his trust. He gave you his friendship and you threw it away as if it was garbage. Tell me, how many times have you made them cry? How many times have Tyson and Rin cried because of your actions?"

Kai was silent, his voice leaving him in such an important moment. Despite Dranzer's attempts to reassure him, Kai couldn't help but realize that Chaos was right. All those times Rin had tried to kill himself, he had been trying to get away from the pain. The pain he now knew was the burden of knowing he could kill Kai.

Tyson was stubborn and loud but Kai knew that, deep down, he was sensitive and was easily hurt by others. He hurt him so many times yet Tyson always welcomed him back with open arms. Did he really think that those betrayals hadn't hurt the younger teen? How foolish was he?

' _Kai, do not give in.'_

"You finally see the error of your ways." Chaos smirked before creating another black coil. He removed his hand from Kai's cheek and turned his head to the side as Kai was lifted higher on the sky, "I hope you're honored to know that you'll die the same way the brave Natasha did. You deserve a more painful death but this will do."

' _You and the others will be happy.'_

"It was nice knowing you, Kai Hiwatari." Chaos said as he launched the coil.

' _I will protect you.'_

Third's eyes widened when she caught movement running before she shook her head when she saw who was going to get caught by Chaos's attack, "Chaos, don't do it! Stop!"

"Die."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Sorry for the angst in this chapter.**

 **Sasha: She's not really sorry.**

 **Erebus: Prepare yourselves. Someone is dying next chapter.**

 **Tyson: The plot required it to happen so don't kill Anime after you read the next chapter.**

 **Rin: The following characters are safe from being killed in MIAB. They're safe because Anime has been blackmailed into keeping them alive or because the plot will need them later on. They are: Tyson, Kai, Max, Ray, Daichi, Kenny, Ann, Takao, myself and Riku. Everyone else is fair game.**

 **Anime: See you soon. Beware the ides of March.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next Chapter: Reluctant Heroes**

 **Song: Reluctant Heroes by Amanda Lee**


	17. Chapter 16: Reluctant Heroes

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter (RPS didn't get any spoilers)**

 **Anime: Today is March 21, an important day in my opinion because this is the birthday of Max Dragon, the first character I created in my 'career' as a writer. Thanks to my Maxie, I fell in love with writing. Needless to say, without him, I would never have found my passion for writing. So, happy birthday, Max!**

 **Max D.: So, welcome all to chapter 16, the midpoint of MIAB and the last chapter of the Awakening Arc. This is also the chapter where someone dies.**

 **Anime: *cries in the distance***

 **Max D.: Ignoring her, thank you to the reviewers, readers and those who follow this story and favorited this story. You guys have been hanging on for sixteenth chapters. Good job. Well, onto the story.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **16: Reluctant Heroes**

 _Sasha's Meadow, Japan (August 3)_

Time had stopped. It seemed as if the whole world had stopped revolving to witness this tragic and terrible moment. Even the Elders, who watched the events from their world, had stopped all proceedings and were watching this with rapt attention. The unthinkable, it seemed, had occurred.

In the human world, Third had a hand over her mouth, eyes wide and tears were already threatening to come down. Despite her wisdom, she had not foreseen this outcome and she knew no one else would've believed this would happen.

The humans that were bladers had regained enough consciousness to witness this moment and they, like everyone else, were shocked. Even the holy beasts known as the Forsaken Fallen were shocked. The whole world was silent, as if any noise would shatter this brief moment where reality did not exist.

The fragile thread of stability in the mind of a certain dark holy beast was shattered. There, floating in front of Kai, shielding the phoenix blader from the attack that would've killed him, was the holy beast known as Night.

"Night . . . ?" Kai asked, trembling despite himself. This was impossible, wasn't it?

Night turned his body slightly and smiled as if everything was alright when it wasn't, _"I told you that I would protect you. All of you."_

"Night, no." Chaos muttered before dissolving the coil that was embedded on Night's chest, along with the ones holding Kai on the air. As Night fell to the ground, Chaos caught him. The ancient holy beast was shaking his head, seeing all the blood on Night's body from all the wounds he had caused him, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Night. Don't worry! I'll get Third to heal you! You're going to be okay! D-Don't you dare close your eyes, okay?"

Night's eyes softened before he placed a hand on Chaos's, _"Chaos, I should be the one apologizing. I am going to break our promise. Sorry."_

"Shut up! You're going to be fine. You're not going to die, do you hear me?!" Chaos frantically told him before turning around to look at the devastated Third Elder, "Get over here and help him! Can't you see that he's dying! Save him!" When she shook her head weakly at him, Chaos let out a strangled cry, "You have to be able to save him! So do something!"

" _Chaos, it is okay."_ Night smiled, placing a trembling hand on the other's cheek, _"Please, do not cry."_ Chaos placed him slowly on the ground, feeling tears go down his eyes as he kneeled next to the dying beast. Night chuckled weakly, _"I will get to see Erebus and the others soon, after all."_

"Don't say that. . . I can't lose my light again." Chaos sobbed before he looked up, hearing noise. He glared at Kai, who was staring sadly at the bleeding Night as he walked closer, "Go away! Get away-!"

" _Chaos, please."_ Night weakly said before reaching out a hand for Kai, _"He is my friend too, after all."_ He turned his head slightly to see Max, Ray, Hilary and the others and smiled at them, _"They all are. So please . . . for me . . . can everyone forget what is going on?"_

"Night, why?" Kai asked before kneeling down next to Night, refusing to cry. He knew that Night understood what he meant with his question. He didn't need to elaborate.

" _Because you are my friend, Kai."_ Night replied before looking up at the sky that was already turning dark. He smiled again, except this was a sad, forlorn smile, _"You all are. I love everyone here, despite everything."_

"Night . . ." Chaos buried his face in his hands, trembling. Night stared at Chaos with an expression Kai couldn't distinguish before opening his mouth:

" _It was like a nightmare_

 _And it's pain for me_

 _Because nobody wants to die too fast_

 _Remember the day of grief_

 _Now it's strange for me_

 _I could see your face_

 _I could hear your voice."_

Chaos removed his hands to look at Night before glancing weakly at Kai. He grabbed Night's hand and held it, squeezing it tightly. Kai felt like he was ten years old again, sitting on the chair next to his bedridden, dying mother. He had felt so powerless as he had watched her slip away and had never wanted to see anyone die anymore because he had no power to stop death. It seems that the cruel fate of his wanted him to watch this gentle spirit die and have no power to stop it.

" _Remember the day we met_

 _And it's pain for me_

 _Because nobody wants to die too fast_

 _Remember the day we dreamt_

 _It's pain for me_

 _I could see your face_

 _I could hear your voice."_

Kai turned around to see Max, Ray, Daichi, Hilary and Kenny making their way to the dying bit-beast. They crouched down next to him, Max looking like he was going to hysterically break down in tears but not doing so, surprising the phoenix blader.

Third Elder sat down next to Chaos, patting the sobbing holy beast. She knew that would not offer any consolation to him. He was losing another person he held close to his locked heart. He'll never be happy again, will he? She briefly wondered.

" _Can't look back_

 _They will not come back_

 _Don't be afraid_

 _It's time after time_

 _So, once again, I'm hiding in my room_

 _The peaceful times are what make us blind_

' _See you can't fly if you never try'_

 _You told me oh, long ago_

 _But you left the wall outside the gate_

 _And more than ever, it's real."_

Max wanted to cry but he could hear Night telling him to not cry. For the first time, he hated the mental link that the two had because he could hear Night speaking to him while he sang his song of farewell. He felt his tears run down his face when Night met his gaze. Night placed his free hand on Max's cheek, wiping away his tears with that gentle gaze that always calmed Max ever since he met the bit-beast. Now, though, he felt scared. This was the last time he'd ever see Night again.

" _Sing for reluctant heroes_

 _Oh, give me your strength_

 _Your lives are too short_

 _Sing for reluctant heroes_

 _I wanna be brave like you_

' _See you can't fly if you never try'_

 _You told me oh, long ago_

 _But you left the wall outside the gate_

 _Now, more than ever, it's real."_

Ray hadn't seen anyone die until now. So he was terrified and sad when he could see the life slipping out of Night's pale orbs. He could hear the bit-beast struggling for breath but he didn't stop singing. He wondered if Night was singing this song – _this was his farewell_ – to calm them down. He wanted to calm of them, especially Chaos, Ray thought before looking down, trying to ignore Max and Chaos's sobs. He wanted to get lost in Night's lullaby.

" _It was like a nightmare_

 _And it's pain for me_

 _Because nobody wants to die too fast_

 _Remember the day of grief_

 _Now it's strange for me_

 _I could see your face_

 _I could hear your voice."_

Hilary didn't know exactly why she felt so guilty over this. She just couldn't stop thinking that she could've sealed the Forsaken Fallen away with Artemis's help before this happened. There was no need for Night to die! It wasn't fair that he was the one that was dying. Night, why was it you? She asked, leaning on Ray who was silent as the tears rolled down his eyes.

Kenny wasn't sure whether to run away crying or stand here and watch Night die. This couldn't be real, his mind rationalized. This is all a dream that the Forsaken Fallen implanted in all of our minds to hurt us. After all, Night had been happily helping Ray and Grandpa make breakfast this morning just like he had two days ago. Wake up, he thought as he began to tremble, his eyes finally releasing his pent-up tears.

" _Remember the day we met_

 _And it's pain for me_

 _Because nobody wants to die too fast_

 _Remember the day we dreamt_

 _It's pain for me_

 _I could see your face_

 _I could hear your voice."_

Out of all of his friends, Daichi was probably the only one that had seen someone die before. He had seen the life drain out of his father and he hated that Night was going to die too, life draining out of the gentle beast. Why did he have to watch this? Why couldn't he have saved the person that had willingly forfeited his eternal life for their fleeting lives? This was so unfair. Why was life cruel like this? Why did good people like Night die? He felt Hilary suddenly hug him. He was more surprised when he leaned closer to receive her comfort.

Chaos jumped when he saw that Night was glowing and he squeezed the hand he was holding tighter than before. He refused to let Night die. They had promised each other that they'd go back home together. He didn't want to think about a world where Night had been killed by himself.

"Please don't leave," He sobbed, holding Night's hand up to his lips and closing his eyes tightly. "Don't leave me, Night."

" _Sing for the reluctant heroes_

 _Oh, give me your strength_

 _Your lives are too short_

 _Sing for reluctant heroes_

 _I wanna be brave like you."_

 _Goodbye, Max, Ray, Kai, Hilary, Kenny, Daichi, Third. Goodbye, everyone. Goodbye, my sisters. Goodbye, my brothers. Goodbye, my dearly beloved Chaos._

Night looked up at the stars one last time before closing his eyes, the hand holding Chaos going limp. Max felt the link between Night vanish, leaving the echo of his final words ringing on his head.

"Night, no!" Chaos yelled as Night's body turned into a bright light before turning into several bright lights that surrounded them for a moment before slowly heading up to the dark sky.

This all felt so surreal. How could it be that all that left of Night was nothing but a heavily battered blade that contained a shattered bit-chip? Max found everything quite ironic. The first time he had met Night in his prison, the two had been in a meadow filled with flowers while stars littered the sky. Fate was cruel by causing Max to see Night die in a scenery that looked a lot like the place where they had first met.

Perhaps fate was crueler to Chaos, Night thought to himself as he grieved over the dead holy beast that had become a close friend in such a short time. After all, he had lost Sasha here centuries ago. He would always remember this place as the meadow where he lost two people he cared for.

Kai was trembling yet the tears did not fall, his eyes fixed on the lights that had been Night once upon a time. He had assured Kai barely a day ago that no one would die yet he had been the one to pass on. The cruelty of that statement made Kai stare at a star that suddenly vanished. It seemed that Night would never teach him how to read the stars after all.

Third stood up, looking up as the lights that were Night vanished and smiled sadly, "Be among the stars, little Night, and watch over us. Goodbye."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Chamber of Elders, Different Dimension_

First Elder walked away while the rest of the elders tried to comfort Second and Sixteenth Elder, who were crying out Night's name. No one could really blame them, as they were the creators of the spirit. It seemed ironic, all of a sudden, that the only two holy beasts that Second and Sixteenth had created – Erebus and Night – had met their tragic end at the hands of Chaos.

First looked out the window and saw the lights that used to be Night head to the chamber. She smiled sadly before reaching out for the lights, ignoring the sad cries of her fellow mourning Elders to greet the dead spirit.

"Night, you've come home." She said as she guided the orbs of light to the main chamber. Once they entered the room, they gathered around the most ancient elder, who reached out for one of them, "It's been a long time since I've felt your aura, dear Night."

 _Home? I am home?_

She nodded before smiling serenely, her eyes no longer cold or distant, "Night, second child of the Elders, you were too kind and too precious for that world. A bright, beautiful light like you, it seems, was extinguished by the darkness you tried so hard to protect. I am sorry that your fate led to this. You deserved better, dear Night. I truly wished for your happiness."

 _Chaos . . . I want to see him again. I want to see everyone again, one last time, before ascending completely to the stars._

First grabbed another light before she stared at a light heading towards a familiar structure in the distance. She looked down, trying hard to not shed a tear, "I don't know if I can make you see them again. Still, I want you to protect the hearts of two people. In return, they can protect your soul."

 _Thank you, First Elder._

First Elder let out a small sob, seeing all but the two lights in her hand ascend upwards, heading to the stars, "Goodbye, Night. May you watch everyone from your place among the stars. Shine bright, little Night. We'll all watch you. Say hello to Erebus for me."

 _I will. Be happy, First. Goodbye._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

In the black tower that had no doors and had one window with bars to keep the person within inside, a young woman woke up, her eyes wide and fearful. She sat up before getting out of the bed, walking quickly towards the window.

"Night?" She asked, seeing several lights head towards the Chamber of the Elders, one of them making its way to her. She took a deep breath before reaching out for it. It wasn't possible, right? Night couldn't be dead.

The light finally made it to the windowsill and Seventeen cupped it between her hands, "Night, is that really you?"

 _Hello, Seventeenth._

The youngest of the ancient elders gasped, covering her mouth with one hand. So it was true, then. She shook her head, "Oh, Night, I am so sorry. You deserved happiness. I'm so sorry that we couldn't give you that happy ending."

 _Goodbye, Seventeenth. Be happy. Watch over Chaos._

"Wait!"

The light vanished and Seventeenth fell to her knees, trying to grasp for the light that had been extinguished. She sobbed, the tears going down her cheeks, "Night, no. You weren't supposed to die." Her body shook as she cried, wrapping her arms around her body to comfort herself.

"First was right. Everything was my fault." She sobbed loudly, looking up to see a painting of the wall of the outside of this cold and desolate tower that had been the home of a young Chaos. In the middle of the painting, a younger version of Night was holding a hand out for someone – Chaos, perhaps – so they could go somewhere together.

"If I had not allowed you all to go to Earth, if I had not showed Max the way to enter Night's prison, none of this would've happened. It seems that I keep making mistakes. And this mistake was too big to be ignored. She'd be sentenced for death for sure, now, she thought sullenly.

"I'm sorry, Chaos, Night, everyone," She whispered, "The suffering I caused you is a crime that I will pay for with my life. I guess I'll see you on the other side, Night. Will you wait for me there?"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Unknown area_

Tyson was in the middle of watching Rin drown when the painful memory vanished, leaving him floating on nothing. He saw Rin floating in the distance and, just as he was about to call out to him, a light appeared.

"Huh?" He said in surprise before the light formed the shape of someone that looked vaguely familiar to him. When the light finally morphed into a young man with long black hair and white eyes wearing robes similar to Chaos's, Tyson recognized him from the dreams he had of Chaos's past.

"Night?"

The male smiled gently before reaching out for Tyson. Tyson frowned in confusion before grabbing Night's hand. Night mouthed something Tyson couldn't hear before he turned into many lights, surrounding Tyson before they entered his body.

The warm sensation that Tyson felt made him smile despite all the pain he had felt before. He placed his hands over his heart and laughed, "Hello, Night. It's nice to meet you."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Max D.: Anime just died in the corner so I guess you should review this chapter where Night died. The ending might not be that great but it was written that way because everyone said goodbye to Night. Someone had to say hello to him. See ya!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Comatose**

 **Song: Comatose by Skillet**


	18. Chapter 17: Comatose

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Anime: Hey, long time no see, guys! Sorry for the long space between updates. I just had a lot of things going on with school and my depression with Night but hey! Thanks to the power of the Vocaloids and AmaLee, I have returned! So, without further ado, chapter 17! Brace yourselves.**

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

 **"** **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

 _"_ _Speaking"_ : Night

 _'_ _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

 **17: Comatose**

Kai was standing alone in a green meadow that was too familiar for his tastes. It was the cursed meadow where Night had been killed because of him. He had caused the death of that gentle spirit that only wanted peace. He looked up to see cherry blossoms falling from the sky as if they were raindrops.

 _"_ _Kai."_

He turned around to see Night standing alone, some feet away from him. The spirit was dressed in a pure white kimono and wore a black scarf around his neck. Night smiled gently at him before speaking again, _"He will not die, Kai. We will save Rin. You will not lose him or Tyson or anyone else. Do you understand?"_

"Were you lying?" Kai asked, "Did you see your star nearing the star of death? I know you must have. That's why you didn't hesitate to use yourself as a human shield to save my life."

Night looked away, _"I am sorry, Kai. I will not be able to show you how to read the stars like I promised you. And I am sorry that I did not help you save Tyson, Rin and the others. I am afraid I failed you."_

Night looked so small and defenseless at that moment. Kai wanted to comfort him, much to his surprise. Then again, Night had always seemed like this powerful, omnipotent being that didn't need comfort. Now, he seemed so human that no one could confuse him for being a centuries old being.

Kai reached out a hand for him, "Night-."

The next moment, there was a black spike embedded on Night's chest, staining the white kimono with his crimson blood. Kai took a step back before he felt comforting hands wrap around his shoulders. He turned his head around slightly and was met with familiar auburn eyes that were warm even though the male's body felt as cold as ice.

"Don't cry, okay?" Tyson muttered weakly as Kai felt a tear roll down. He felt the arms around him tighten, comforting him, "I'm here for you. Please don't cry."

"Tyson, how can I not? Are you expecting me to be strong?" Kai whispered, his voice hoarse despite himself.

"If anyone can pretend to be a tough bastard, it's you." Tyson replied before he let go of Kai. Kai immediately turned around and grabbed Tyson's hand, making the blunette give out a sound of surprise. Kai felt himself gasp when he saw that Tyson was wearing the same clothes that Night had been wearing earlier. The younger teen smiled, placing a hand on Kai's cheek, "Everything's going to be okay, Kai. Just hang on for a while longer."

"What do you mean?"

Tyson shrugged, "You be the judge of that." The wielder of Dragoon began to glow, similar to the way Night had before he died. The next thing Kai knew, Tyson had turned into snow. Kai fell to his knees, a hand reaching out for someone who wasn't even there anymore.

"Are you going to be crying for us for a long time?"

Kai looked up to see Rin looking down at him. He was dressed in a black overcoat, black jeans and a black sweater. The only splash of color he had was the red scarf that Kai had made him when they were younger. His nose and cheeks were pink, a sign that he had been out in the cold for some time.

"Rin?"

Rin smiled in a manner that Kai missed, "Obviously. Come on, get up, _zhar-phtitsa._ You're better than that." He outstretched his hand and Kai felt a little relieved when he didn't vanish as soon as they made contact. Rin laughed, "You're such a pain, Kai. You made me come out here to find you."

"Sorry." Kai replied as Rin helped him up.

Rin waved his hand in a way that clearly said don't-mention-it, "If you're going to be a pain and not get up on your own, how do you expect to save us, huh?" Rin walked ahead before stopping, pulling his scarf over his nose, "You coming or not?"

"Yeah," Kai said as he walked towards Rin. Rin turned his body half-way to look back at him and then-.

Rin was lying down on the snow, wearing a pure white kimono and black scarf like Tyson and Night had been wearing. Kai ran towards him and stopped when he saw that Rin's wrists were slashed, blood coming out of his wrists. The blood fell on the pure white snow that surrounded them while also staining the red kimono.

 _Notagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagain._

Kai crouched down and gently gathered Rin into his arms, feeling himself tremble. Rin's lips were blue and the pink tint on his cheeks and nose were gone. He was cold and he hadn't even reacted when he had been picked up.

"Rin?" Kai whispered.

No reaction.

"Rin! Wake up!" Kai yelled, shaking the limp body, feeling like he was thirteen all over again, watching Rin die as the paramedics made their way here. He hated feeling so powerless again.

 _"_ _Who are you afraid of losing more?"_ Kai didn't need to look up to know that it was Night speaking. He could feel the presence of the dead spirit next to him, watching over him. _"Your best friend? Or your soulmate?"_

"What do you mean?" Kai asked, blinking. He gave a start when he saw that he was holding Tyson in his arms instead of Rin. He looked up to see Chaos standing in front of him, holding a limp Rin. Chaos smirked before turning around, walking away with Rin still in his arms.

"Wait!" Kai yelled before he saw Aya run after them, followed by Hiro, Riku, Raul, Julia, Kaori, Hikaru, Shun and Nami. He reached out for them, "Stop! Don't go!"

 _"_ _This is all a game, what a shame."_ Chaos said in a sing-song voice laced with so much sadness that Kai felt sadder upon hearing his voice. He wondered briefly if Chaos was hurting just like he was.

 _"_ _A game with no restart, it pierces my heart. Why can't things be easy? Seems the gods have been busy. They play with the strings of our heart, knowing that it'll only tear us apart. Guess we never learn that these feelings leave a burn."_

"Chaos?"

Chaos turned back to Kai, tears going down his eyes as he smiled, _"In the end, we both lose."_

The whole dreamscape changed completely, leaving Kai to stand in the middle of a room that seemed to be cut-off from the world. There were no doors and there was only one window with bars to keep the person within inside. There was a painting on the wall that depicted a beautiful scenery that had no place in the dirty earth. In the middle of the painting, a younger version of Night was holding a hand out for someone so they could go somewhere together.

Sprawled on the ground was a young woman that appeared to be around seventeen years of age or younger. She had wavy chocolate brown hair that covered her face. She was wearing a black dress and the girl seemed to radiate sorrow. She stirred and opened her eyes, revealing red-rimmed brown eyes. She stared at him for a moment before speaking:

"Please forgive me."

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

Kai woke up with a start, his eyes filled with tears that rolled down his cheeks. He sat up, rubbing the tears away before looking around. It seemed that everyone was still asleep, not that he blamed them. He could hear Max whimpering, clenching his pillow as he suffered through his nightmare.

Kai stood and made his way through the sleeping figures, touching Dranzer's blade that was on his pocket. He took out the blade and stepped outside the dojo, seeing the clearing sky. He felt Dranzer appear by his side and he sighed, "We have work to do."

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

 _Granger Dojo, Bey City, Japan (August 17)_

To Third Elder, it seemed as if the happiness of the teenagers she had met had been taken away the moment that Night had died. It was rare, nowadays, to see them smile. They were too busy dealing with their guilt and grief to do anything.

The ancient elder was sitting down next to the pond, staring passively at Kai. She looked away after a while, seeing the pain in his eyes. It seemed, out of all of them, Kai was the one who felt the most guilt. He trained nonstop for hours and he hardly ate or slept. Everyone could see the black circles under his eyes and his skin was paler than usual.

Third knew that Kai felt that it was his fault that Night had died. She knew that the young man was haunted at night by visions of a dead Night and more tragic visions of Tyson and Rin and everyone else crying out for him to save him as they died. It seemed Kai couldn't find peace in reality or in his dreams.

Two weeks of no activity from either side, Third thought as she clenched her fists, yet the Elders were trying to hurry Seventeenth's trial. Fifteenth insisted vehemently on Seventeen being executed and he had a lot of other Elders that agreed with him on the sentence, especially Sixteenth who wanted Seventeenth punished to get vengeance for Night.

Only Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Ninth supported Third to keep Seventeenth alive while First hadn't decided on anything yet. The whole universe was going to shit, Third thought sadly.

She stood up and walked towards Kai, who ignored her in favor of placing Dranzer back in the launcher and shooting again. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he stiffened. She closed her eyes, "They're calling for me. I'm afraid that Seventeenth needs my support right now."

"What about us?" Kai asked in a voice that seemed too hoarse to belong to him. He clenched the launcher tightly, "Don't we need support from an omnipotent being like yourself?"

"Don't give me that tone, Kai." Third replied, "I know that you need my help but I know that you're going to be okay against the Forsaken Fallen. Unless you think that Night didn't do a good job in helping you train."

"Night did more than he was supposed to." Kai replied, calling Dranzer back. He tightened his grip on his blade, feeling the same sorrow that overwhelmed him when he remembered the gentle beast.

Third looked down, "He did. That lead to his downfall, I'm afraid. Look, the point is that you are more than capable of defeating Chaos and the others thanks to Night. The one that needs my help is Seventeenth. She might die."

"How does one kill an Elder?" Kai asked.

Third let out a small sigh, "How does one kill a holy beast? The answer to those questions are the same: they can only be killed by their own kind. A bit-beast can be killed by a bit-beast and an Elder can be killed by an Elder."

No one had known that to be certain until the day Chaos had killed Erebus. As far as they had known, they had been immune to death. In the end, everything comes to a conclusion. But Third still believed that certain things never came to an end, no matter how many times they attempted to destroy it. And that was. . .

"Good luck with that, then." Kai interrupted her thoughts, "That trial isn't going to wait for you. You're not the center of the universe."

"Not of this one." Third said with a small chuckle. She looked at the dojo for a brief moment and thought of everyone that was currently inside. All of them deserved a happily ever after. As soon as all of this was over, she was sure that they'd get one. She pushed a stray hair behind her ear, "Help them be brave, Kai, okay?"

"Sure."

She smiled at him, "See you later."

Kai blinked and Third Elder was gone. He sighed and let out a small smile, "I'll tell the others you said goodbye. But you better come back once we win." He didn't know why he said that. But he knew that it would be great if the Elders could see that the world hadn't fallen to shit.

 _'_ _What a nice way of phrasing that.'_ Dranzer chuckled while Kai rolled his eyes, forgetting for a moment that his thoughts weren't just his anymore. Dranzer laughed, ' _Well, at least you're not thinking about anything depressive anymore. And that's a good thing. And are you going to launch me again? It's not helping, you know.'_

'Whatever. Don't you want to be stronger?'

'. . . You're right. One more time, Kai!' Dranzer answered in an upbeat tone that reminded him so much of Tyson that it made Kai falter. He shook his head and concentrated on his blade-.

 _I have to keep running. I'm almost there. I'm almost home! Their sacrifice must not be in vain! I have to strong for their sakes!_

Kai gasped and held his head, trying to stop the barrage of images that were flooding into his mind so quickly that it gave him whiplash. He tried to find order in the images and wasn't reassured when he started seeing those images in order.

 _Rin was reaching a hand out to him, talking to him but he couldn't hear anything. Brooklyn – or was it Zeus – was smiling at him, trying to calm him down. Aya was on the ground, smiling sadly as he saw Ann getting closer to her. Hiro was running, carrying Riku on his back and yelling at him to keep running. He felt himself falling down a dark chute, seeing Rin cry above him as he was taken away by someone that he couldn't see. Then he was running again-._

 _'_ _-Kai!'_ Dranzer's voice broke through the barrage of images, making Kai feel better as he didn't understand what he had been watching, _'Kai, you won't believe it! Dragoon is resonating!'_

 _'_ _Resonating?'_

 _'_ _Yes! That must mean that-.'_

Kai's eyes widened and ran to the front of the dojo. It seemed impossible but perhaps this was the universe's way of making him feel better after they took Night away. In the end, it didn't matter if the universe was only playing with his emotions again. He just really hoped that this wasn't dream.

Kai stopped in the front of the dojo, not believing his eyes. If it weren't for the throbbing headache he got after he had tried to make sense of the images that had run through his head so quickly, he would have seriously thought that this was a dream.

There, standing on the archway to enter the dojo was none other than Tyson Granger.

Tyson was dressed in the same robes Kai had often seen Chaos in, which seemed weird because Tyson didn't wear dark colors. He was pale and looked as if he hadn't eaten in days (he probably hadn't). He was holding the side of his stomach as if he was hurt and he was trembling. He was probably close to passing out. And yet . . .

The idiot had the gall to wave weakly at him.

"Hey Kai."

He really hoped that this wasn't a dream. He wouldn't be able to take it if this was some cruel dream. He chuckled and hoped it didn't sound like a sob, "You idiot. How long were you going to keep us waiting?"

Tyson smiled, "Sorry about that. I got held back. Hey, at least I'm back. I get points for that, don't I?"

He was really glad Tyson was back.

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

Ray woke up to Max shaking his shoulder. He was about to tell the blond to let him sleep some more when he saw Max was trembling. There were tear tracks on his cheeks and he looked so terrified. Ray knew that the dream he had must have been about Night or something else related to him. Unlike everyone else that was reeling from the loss, Max had been connected with Night and had felt the sensation of dying thanks to that.

"What's wrong?"

"Tyson." Max muttered, "I dreamt about the day Chaos killed Night but, this time, it was Tyson being stabbed instead of Night and Chaos was Kai and we were forced to watch as Tyson slowly sang himself to death the same way Night did and-."

"Breathe, Max." Ray patted the younger teen's shoulders when he saw the blond was close to hyperventilating. He sighed and sat up, "Let's go to the kitchen-."

"No."

Ray wondered for a moment why Max had immediately turned that down before he remembered-.

 _"_ _Night? What are you doing?"_

 _"_ _I am preparing breakfast for you and the others. I figured I could help out and prepare the food. I hope you do not mind. This might be the first time I am cooking but I am giving it my best."_

"Okay, we're not going to the kitchen. But we should let everyone sleep." Ray answered, motioning towards the futons where Mariah, Emily and Mathilda were sleeping in. Max seemed to understand because he gave a small nod before they both got up and quietly got out of the dojo.

"Things have been tough since Night's passing and we're all suffering from it, including the Forsaken Fallen."

Max snorted, "That didn't stop them from taking Aya, Riku, Hiro, Nami, the twins and Raul." He crossed his arms in front of his chest as they walked to the living room, "They could've left without taking them. But now they're lost to us like Tyson, Julia, Kaori, Brooklyn and Rin."

Ray flinched, knowing that Max had a point. He didn't know what to say now to comfort Max. He sighed, "Max, they're not lost completely. Third told us that they could return if we can defeat the Forsaken Fallen. Tyson, Hiro, Riku, Aya, Rin and everyone else that have been taken will return."

"Night would say the same thing." Max muttered, "Over and over, he'd reassure me that everything would work out in the end. So far, nothing has worked to our favor. And then there's the possibility that I might kill Aya when we battle and I don't want her to die. I don't want anyone else to die."

"And no one will."

Max and Ray jumped at Kai's voice and turned around to face their captain. Ray's eyes widened and Max's jaw fell open when they saw who Kai was carrying in his arms, "No way. Is this real?"

Tyson grinned at them from his spot on Kai's arms, "Long time no see, guys! I gotta say, you don't look as well as I do and that's saying something."

"Tyson, you're okay!" Max yelled as he rushed to his best friend's side. Maybe they were finally getting a break after losing so many of their friends. The Forsaken Fallen probably hadn't expected this, Ray thought with a smile as he walked closer to his friend that he had been certain that he'd never see again.

"Careful," Kai warned them, "Tyson's condition is delicate at the moment. We have to get him to his room and let him rest."

"I told Kai that he should take me to a hospital but he said that was too risky." Tyson whispered to Max, "Apparently, I could easily be kidnapped if I was there."

"He wouldn't be wrong about that, Ty." Max grinned. Ray and Kai felt a little better upon seeing Max smile after three weeks of him being devoid of any emotion but sorrow.

"Not that we're not happy to see you but how in the world did you escape?" Ray asked Tyson. Tyson looked down, his eyes no longer looking as cheery as they had a couple of minutes ago. They all turned serious, wondering what had affected Tyson this badly.

"I guess it's story telling time."

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Unknown Area_

Rin was no stranger to pain. One could even say he was used to it. Broken arms, broken legs, cracked ribs, a broken heart, a fractured skull, you name it. He had probably gone through more things than your average person. Still, it was nothing compared to the mental pain he had endured these past three days.

After the successful escape of Tyson, he had been separated from all the others. The last time he saw Hiro, Aya, Riku and Zeus before he had been locked in here, they hadn't looked so good. Zeus was probably dead, he thought with a shiver. There was no way he and Brooklyn would be left unscathed after they had betrayed them.

"Rin, stop worrying so much." A voice from the corner of the room whispered. Rin closed his eyes and put his hands over his ears, curling up in a small ball despite the pain he felt on his abdomen where he had been kicked by Hecate. There were cruel ways to torture people and this was one of them.

"You're not real. Go away."

"Rin, don't be so immature." The raven couldn't understand why he could still hear _his_ voice but he didn't want to hear _him_ ever again. He didn't know what was worse: hearing _his_ voice or hearing the voice of his parents.

"Shut up." Rin whispered, trying to block out unwanted memories he had been sure he had locked away so he could never feel so worthless again. It was pathetic that he was reacting like this to _his_ voice. It had been almost two years since he had seen or heard of _him_ yet he still acted as he had before.

He heard _him_ laugh like he used to, "You know you love me. So why don't you quit being stubborn and open your eyes? Come on, do it."

"Leave me alone."

"Rin, look at me. Or does it still hurt to look at me? You're reacting this badly to hearing me, after all. Please, Rin. Just look at me."

He felt so worthless again. Who was still under the mercy of a person they hadn't even seen or talked to in almost two years? Apparently he was. How pathetic. He wondered if the torture that Zeus/Brooklyn were going through for his sake was worth it.

Aya was screaming again and it hurt to know that he couldn't stop her from feeling the pain. He had told her that she would never go through this hell again and that had been a lie. He was a terrible person.

He couldn't stop Aya's pain. He couldn't stop Zeus's torture. He couldn't stop reacting badly to _his_ voice. He hadn't been able to stop Raul, Nami, Hikaru and Shun from falling. He hadn't been able to stop them from hurting Hiro and Riku. He couldn't do anything. In the end, he was just powerless to the will of these higher beings.

"Rin."

"Please be quiet. Leave me alone, Eden."

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

Zeus was glad he was the one controlling this body. Otherwise, Brooklyn would have died from all the pain and that was something that he could never allow. So he was the one that suffered while all the members of the Forsaken Fallen – except for those that occupied Ann, as they were upstairs, taking care of Chaos – did their best to drive him mad with the pain.

 _'_ _Zeus, switch with me! Stop tormenting yourself! I can handle the pain! You're nearing the limit! You'll end up dying! Zeus!'_

"He's being so stubborn." Hecate told Nemesis, who just smirked wickedly down at Zeus. Nemesis nudged Zeus's leg and he hissed. That crazy woman was touching the place where Dark Dranzer had nearly burned his skin off and that hurt like hell.

"How cute. He wants to be tough." Zeus craned his neck to see who had spoken, spotting the four new members of the Forsaken Fallen that had been awakened. He was sure the one who had spoken was Hades.

Hades – Raul – was wearing a black shirt and black pants with a white sash tied around his waist. He had a white scarf around his neck and the golden bracelet he wore on his left arm contained his bit-chip. He had black-silver hair, the front of his hair being silver while the back being black.

Ouranos and Tartarus – twins like Hikaru and Shun – wore identical white kimonos and had matching silver necklaces where their bit-chips were at. Ouranos – Shun – had white hair and sky-blue eyes and had a gash in his right eye where Shun had been hurt before Ouranos had possessed him. Tartarus, on the other hand, had black hair and dark blue eyes that looked black. He had a gash across his cheek where Hikaru had been hurt.

Gaea – Nami – had long dark green hair that was floating all around her and brown eyes. She wore a velvet green dress and a black cloak that seemed to be floating a little. She had a silver bracelet around her right wrist that contained her bit-chip.

"So, what made you think you had the ability to betray us?" Gaea giggled, stepping on Zeus's hand, "After we were so kind to you, too. Is this how you treat everyone who shows you kindness? My, you're such a bad dog."

 _'_ _Zeus, switch places!'_

"You should know better." Tartarus sighed as he walked around the chamber, "After all, weren't you the one who nearly died when you betrayed Erebus and the other members of Eden's Rapture? I guess we should have realized you go traitor often and we shouldn't have trust you."

Ouranos didn't say anything and merely stared impassively at them. Zeus thought about appealing to his kind nature but knew that he'd be punished more if he tried it. Ouranos walked towards the exit and turned around to face them, some of his hair covering his damaged eye, "Let's leave the traitor in here to rot. We have more pending business, if you recall."

"Come on, they're almost gone." Hecate replied, tossing her hair back, "Aya, Hiro, Riku and Rin are so close to falling deep into the recesses of their mind. I would worry about how Chaos is coping."

They all stiffened, including Zeus. Ever since Night's passing, they hadn't seen Chaos. The only ones in his room were the dark halves of Dragoon, Driger, Draciel and Dranzer and they barred entrance to everyone. It made them wonder if Chaos would give up this crusade and be sealed away again.

"Chaos will be fine." Ouranos whispered, even though he didn't look certain about that, "Let's just prepare the last four hosts. The time of the deciding battle approaches."

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

Chaos had been in and out dreams for two weeks. As soon as Night had died, he had felt a part of him break. The others had immediately taken him away and Dark Dranzer lulled him to sleep. She didn't allow him to return to reality, something he was glad for because reality was like a nightmare for him now.

He was currently in his old home where the sky was littered with stars and anyone could see planets and galaxies in the large, dark sky. The meadow was filled with flowers that glowed like stars while a gentle breeze moved his hair and clothes. He brushed his hair behind his ear, looking around before he saw a familiar figure in the distance.

"Sasha?" He asked, recognizing the purple hair that was moving thanks to the wind. The young mortal girl caught sight of him and stared at him with her sad blue eyes that had been so dead the last time he had seen them. He ran towards her when he saw her walking away, "Sasha, wait!"

When he caught up to her, he grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving. He frowned, "Sasha, where are you going?" She turned around to face him and Chaos gave out a small gasp of shock when he saw Night instead of Sasha.

 _"_ _Is it really so surprising to see me, Chaos?"_ Night asked before smiling gently and pulling Chaos forward, _"Come with me."_

"Night . . ." Chaos looked away, eyes shiny with unshed tears, "Am I still worthy of you?"

 _"_ _Huh?"_

"I killed you!" He cried out, releasing his hold on Night's wrist and turning around. He fell to his knees, hugging himself as he felt fresh tears run down his cheeks, "I don't even deserve being so close to you. You should hate me, dammit! I want you to hate me so I can have an excuse to die!"

He felt Night crouch next to him and felt warm arms wrap themselves around him. He leaned forward, wanting to be comforted but not saying that out loud to Night. Night knew him and knew when he needed comfort. He felt a hand run over his hair and he stiffened.

This wasn't Night. Whenever Chaos was in the brink of hysterics or needed to be calm, Night would sing for him. Night didn't even need to ask him if he needed a song; he would just sing. He would run a hand over his hair in a soothing manner as he sang. This was not Night.

He heard the person hugging him chuckle before they spoke, "Did you cry this much when you killed me? Or should I be jealous of my own brother?"

Chaos began to struggle against the arms around his body, "Erebus, let go of me!" He didn't want to be haunted by the ghost of another holy beast that he had killed. He felt the arms around him tighten and he shook his head, "Go away! Haunt someone else."

"That wasn't something you would say to Night." Erebus snapped before he pushed Chaos to the ground, "If you hadn't gotten in my way, I would've been the ruler of this world. You should've let me take care of you. Unlike Night, I wouldn't have made you cry."

Chaos glared up at him, "You wouldn't have made me cry?! You killed Sasha and planned to kill all of the Elders, including Seventeenth! Our brothers and sisters would've opposed you and you wouldn't have hesitated to kill them! You'd break my heart in a manner that would shatter me."

Erebus sighed, placing a hand on Chaos's cheek and his eyes dancing with what appeared to be dismay, "Don't fret too much, my dear Chaos. I'll come for you soon. So be a good boy and wait, okay?"

"What the hell are you saying, bastard?" Chaos asked in disgust, "You're dead and you have stayed that way for centuries!"

Erebus laughed before placing his lips on Chaos's forehead, "In time, you will find out what I mean. But be prepared, Chaos. Not everything is the way that it seems." He laughed before vanishing, leaving behind only a black feather. Chaos sat up and was now sitting down next to Seventeenth.

"Is this my curse?" He asked, looking to the distance so he wouldn't meet the eyes of the being that he considered his mother, sister and friend, "Is this the power of Natasha's curse?"

"Probably." Seventeenth said, her voice sounding hoarse. Chaos wondered briefly if she, like everyone else, was mourning Night's death. She probably was. She had mourned the death of Erebus and the others of Eden's Rapture when no one else did.

"Will you die?"

"I think I will, I'm afraid."

"Why can't you just run away, huh?" Chaos asked, reaching out to touch her. He hadn't seen her in some time. He wanted to be close to her before she was sentenced to a trial that would probably result in her demise. "I've lost too many people already. Don't go away."

"Sasha, Erebus, Night and me. We're in your heart and used to be your light, your hope. Then Erebus killed Sasha and you killed Erebus. Now, you've killed Night and I will soon fall. It seems you need to reach out for others that aren't doomed to such a terrible fate." Seventeenth replied, outstretching her arm and closing her hand around Chaos's.

Chaos squeezed her hand, "Maybe I should do my best to protect you and make sure you don't die." He saw her look away and he tried his best to smile for her, "Seventeen, hang on, alright? I'll save you."

"Is that so? So, that is your resolve." Seventeenth ran her free hand through Chaos's hair, "Please, you can stop now. Please don't do this."

"I have to do this. Night's death made me realize that it would have never happened if humans never existed. They have to be destroyed so that they can stop tainting the world Night died to protect." He stood up, releasing his hold on Seventeenth's hand. He smiled, "And when that's over, I'll challenge and defeat First, thus saving your life. So, wait for me."

"Idiot." Seventeen said, shaking her head and staring at him with a forlorn smile, "Couldn't stop while you were ahead, huh? You're such a stubborn mule. Oh well, I guess that's my fault. Fine. Go ahead. Do your stupid crusade. Just don't come crying to me when it doesn't turn out the way you wanted."

Chaos smirked down at her, "I know that won't happen."

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

After resting for so long, it felt good to wake up. Chaos stretched and smiled when he noticed that this human's body felt as good as new. He supposed that the rest had paid off.

 **"** **How are you feeling?"** Huh. Only four voices, excluding Ann's. He looked at the currently possessed female and was glad that only Dark Dragoon, Dark Driger, Dark Dranzer and Dark Draciel had been around to watch him in such a vulnerable position.

"Better, if you can believe that." He replied, slowly getting out of bed. Man, human bodies felt so heavy after they rested for so long, he noted as he tried to get feeling back to his legs. He supposed that humans didn't slumber as long as holy beasts when they truly needed rest. He yawned, "So, what did I miss?"

 **"** **Gaea, Tartarus, Ouranos and Hades have successfully entered their tamer's bodies."** Ann reported as they paced around the room, **"Only our tamers are still being stubborn."**

"Tyson escaped, didn't he?" Chaos asked and Ann stiffened. He smirked at her and was surprised to see her looking apprehensive, "There was no way that I'd miss the fact that his presence is no longer here. Oh well, it was too be expected."

 **"** **Because you let him escape?"** Chaos scowled at the female possessed by his four most loyal brothers and sisters and Ann crossed her arms in front of her chest, **"You can deceive everyone but us. So, why would you let him go? Was it out of guilt? Did he remind you so much of Night?"**

"Let's just say that Night and I discussed his possible future, along with Kai Hiwatari's." Chaos muttered, remembering that night, "Anyways, I did want to ask you if you felt any unfamiliar auras during my slumber."

Ann cleared her throat, suddenly looking serious, " **As a matter of fact, I did. A lot of them and that worried me. It's as if our recent activities awakened them the way Zeus and Dragoon woke us up."** She looked down, biting her lower lip, **"How do you think they did it?"**

"I'm sure Fifteen helped them. He'd do anything to spite me and Seventeen, after all." Chaos growled, running a hand through his hair, "Anyways, we should focus on the current task at hand."

 **"** **Defeating the sacred spirits or making our tamers finally fall?"** Ann asked, eyes flashing golden.

"Both, my brothers and sisters. Now, let's see your tamers again. I'm sure they'll change their minds now about their destinies."

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

 **Anime: So, we're already in the second arc, which I'm happy for. After the next chapter, the battles will finally begin. Hurray for me finally getting my shit done, don't you think? So, please give me the honor of getting a review. I'd appreciate that. See ya!**

 ***Notes for Comatose***

 ** _*zhar-phtitsa_** **–** **Russian for fire bird and Kai's childhood nickname**

 ***Um, I'm getting away with a lot of the yaoi that I'm shamelessly putting in here. I'm sorry but I'm a big TyKa and MaRe shipper. If you feel a little awkward over this, just know that it won't become a full-blown yaoi. Plot first, guys.**

 ***I had a fight with so many computers and Wi-Fi users to upload this.**

 ** _~~~MIAB~~~_**

 **Next chapter: Last Breath**

 **Song: Last Breath by Evanescence**


	19. Chapter 18: Last Breath

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Anime: Chapter 18 has finally arrived, fellas! I'm so close to the final confrontation between the Forsaken Fallen and our heroes! I'm excited.**

 **Night: We can tell. Thank you for the readers who have reviewed and big thanks to those who still stay here despite the things you go through.**

 **Anime: Yup, thank you for that. So, onto the chapter!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

" _Speaking"_ : Night

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **18: Last Breath**

 _Granger Dojo, Bey City, Japan, Earth (August 23)_

After Third's departure and Tyson's appearance six days ago, everyone had gotten a wake-up call and had begun to train again. Tyson's wounds were healing at an impressive speed without the aid of doctors, much to their surprise. Tyson waved it off, replying that it was Dragoon helping him heal faster.

Kenny wasn't sure what the real cause for Tyson's accelerated healing was and he found that he didn't care. Tyson was back and he was getting healthier by the day. Today, he was even training with the others, something that showed that he was fine. Max had even helped him achieve the next level the way Night had helped them. Kenny could still remember Tyson's goofy face when he became one in mind with his trusted partner Dragoon.

'Like you didn't feel like that, Chief,' He smiled down at his laptop, forgetting that his own partner Dizzi was in there and was still linked to his thoughts. With her help, he had done some improvements to the Hard Metal System so they could have an advantage over the Forsaken Fallen.

Still, he was really worried over the others. According to Tyson, Zeus was on their side and had tried to help him, Rin, Riku, Hiro and Aya escape as Chaos wasn't on guard as usual. They had been intercepted by the other members of the Forsaken Fallen and Aya, Hiro and Riku stayed back to fend them off while Zeus, Rin and Tyson ran ahead to their escape route. Just as they were going to leave, Ann appeared and attacked Zeus, gravely injuring him. Rin pushed Tyson down the dark chute and closed it behind him and ran, giving Tyson enough time to run.

This meant that the others were probably suffering for their actions. Kenny wondered if they had fallen already or were still hanging on. He really hoped that they were still hanging on. After all, Tyson knew where the headquarters were so they were heading there tomorrow.

Kenny couldn't wait. With a smile, he stood up and walked outside the dojo where many of the bladers were training, including Tyson. Right now, the three-time World Champion was watching Hilary blade.

"Wow, you've improved, Hilary." Tyson remarked, watching the brunette with a grin, "You're no longer a threat to society with that blade. I can now see you blade without having to use a safety helmet."

"Ha ha, Tyson," Hilary pouted as she tried to recall Artemis but with no success. She huffed and picked up the spinning blade, "I have been practicing while you were gone. Daichi has been helping me a little and so have Mariah, Mariam, Mathilda and Emily. Then Kenny made Artemis a blade that best suits her so we have improved together thanks to him."

It hadn't taken Kenny that long to create a blade for Hilary. Another beyblade from the Hard Metal System, it was a speed-based blade like Driger was. It was a silver and black blade that reminded her of the blade Night had used against Chaos but it had more silver than black, unlike Night's. It was aptly named Artemis Metal Shine, a name that she and Artemis had agreed on.

"Well, I'm impressed. I guess Artemis choosing you as her partner has really helped you out," Tyson noted as he saw the bit-chip shine, as if Artemis agreed with him. He hardly recognized Hilary now. The girl he knew a few years back that had scoffed at the notion of bit-beasts and Beyblade now owned a powerful bit-beast and was becoming an adept blader.

"Yeah," Hilary agreed, "I can't let you guys save the world without doing my share. So don't try to leave me behind!" With that, she walked away to train with the other female bladers, who immediately welcomed her within their midst.

"I feel like I missed out on so much." Tyson thought aloud, looking at everyone.

"Well, you certainly have."

Tyson turned and waved, "Hey, Garland. I haven't talked to you in ages." Tyson was vaguely aware that he had been captive for about a month but it had felt like years within the darkness. Sometimes, it hurt his eyes to go out during the afternoon because he had forgotten how bright the sun was.

Garland nodded at the younger, "Likewise. How are you feeling?"

"Better than six days ago, that's for sure." He answered.

"You've heard our plan, I'm sure. That we're leaving tomorrow to fight the Forsaken Fallen." Garland waited for Tyson's nod before continuing, "You were there, Tyson. You felt their power. So, do you think we can win?"

Tyson crossed his arms in front of his chest, "They're really powerful, like Zeus. Perhaps stronger than him considering how easily they subdued him. Still, I know we can win. We've always pulled through, after all. Not only that, but we have a perfect union with our bit-beasts, unlike them."

Garland smiled, "That's good to hear. Still," Here, he turned serious, "we don't know exactly how they battle. Zeo has an understanding as to how Nemesis and Hecate battle because he fought them but the others are mysteries."

"Good point. And they've seen our battles and know our ways. Talk about a disadvantage." Tyson groaned before grinning, "I guess we're going to wing it."

"Of course we are."

The skies turned darker around them and Oliver, who was close to Tyson and Garland, readied his blade as he announced, "Do you feel that? Something's approaching and it's definitely not a storm."

At his words, everyone readied their blades and looked around, trying to see where the attack would come from. Tala found it odd that the Forsaken Fallen were moving now, after so many weeks of inactivity. What were they planning to do now? He turned around and noticed Kai hadn't readied his blade. He frowned, noticing that the phoenix-blader was merely looking at his blade, looking paler than usual. He narrowed his eyes and could have sworn that Kai's hand that held his Dranzer blade was trembling and glowing.

"What a warm welcome."

They all jumped at the voice and looked around to spot who had spoken. However, they couldn't see who had spoken and they all wondered briefly if the voice was inside their heads.

"My, you're all blind. I'm up here." The voice came from above them and, when they looked up, they were finally able to see the speaker. Kai tightened his grip on his blade, knowing exactly who this was.

The speaker was a young male that was flying above them with crimson wings that had some black feathers that looked tattered, making them wonder how he was flying. He was wearing black robes with a red sash that reminded them a little of Chaos's outfit. His hair and eyes, like his wings, were crimson-red and he was deathly pale. He smirked, "Hello there."

"That can't be." Tyson muttered as the red-headed male floated down, "He said that he wouldn't fall . . ."

"Well, that's just another promise my dear foolish tamer broke." The red-head replied as he touched the ground. He seemed to enjoy the horror some of their faces reflected as he turned to Kai, "Now, who am I? Am I Rin Mizushima? Or am I Dark Dranzer?"

He began to laugh cruelly, seeing the expression on Kai's face and relishing the fact that the phoenix-blader was speechless, "What's this? Cat got your tongue?"

"Dark Dranzer." Kai glared at the male, who raised an eyebrow as if urging him to continue, "What did you do to them? What did you do to Rin that made him submit to you?"

"Now, that's my dirty little secret." Dark Dranzer said, winking. He then turned his attention to everyone, "As for why I'm here, it's to invite you to our humble home. You're either really brave or stupid to want to challenge us but Chaos admires those qualities and even finds them endearing. So, just for you, we'll take you there today."

"Today?" They all looked at each other, wondering what the Forsaken Fallen was up to.

"You're not deaf, are you?" He deadpanned, looking petulant, before continuing, "The only way to come to our home is if we allow you entrance and it's the same if you want to leave." At this, his red-eyed gaze turned to Tyson, "Otherwise, you'd wander around with no way out. Our home isn't easily accessible in this dimension. There aren't enough gateways."

"So what are you? Our guide?" Lee asked.

"So to speak," Dark Dranzer replied, "Once you enter our home, you'll be greeted with a lovely surprise. After that, you'll have to battle each member of the Forsaken Fallen. To make it fair for you mortals, we shall battle with these tops," Here, he showed a blade similar in design to Dranzer's but it was black and red, looking more like Black Dranzer's beyblade design.

"Anything else we should know?" Rick growled out, trying hard to not launch the blade at the young male's face, just so he could erase that smug look on his face. He had no idea how someone as wimpy looking as this person could make two powerful bladers like Tyson and Kai tremble when his strength didn't intimidate the two. Was it because they had known the boy this psychotic bit-beast controlled and were disturbed at how Dark Dranzer controlled his body.

Dark Dranzer hummed before answering, "The conditions whether we win or you win. If you win, we'll release our hold on these mortals and we'll be compliant as you," He glared at the direction where the Saint Shields were, "seal us away. However, if we win, you'll have to give up and become our servants. If you don't want to work under us, you'll die."

"How cheery." Kevin muttered.

"At least we're giving you a fair chance." Dark Dranzer snarled, eyes flashing and his wings moving to show anger, "Unlike you. The honorable beasts chose the coward's way out to seal us away. They betrayed us, and we weren't even allowed to fight back. Hell, we hadn't thought we'd be attacked because we had trusted them with our lives. My wings are a testament to our own stupidity."

' _Imprisonment for centuries has not helped with that mentality.'_ Dranzer spoke within Kai's mind and the phoenix-wielder could have sworn he heard guilt in his partner's voice. He couldn't say he didn't feel that guilt. He had had the dream-memory some time ago but he could never forget the screams of Dark Dranzer when she had been betrayed by someone she had trusted with her life.

"Do we have a deal?" Dark Dranzer asked, staring at everyone with a burning gaze that made them feel like they were on fire. His eyes finally landed on Tyson and, for a second, Tyson thought he saw the glare soften, along with those fiery red eyes turning a familiar shade of blue for a second, "So, what do you say, Ty?"

It hurt a lot to hear that question in Rin's voice. Tyson flinched and he saw Kai flinching slightly at how Rin-like Dark Dranzer had sounded. Tyson set his shoulders straight before replying, "Deal."

Dark Dranzer gave them all a mock-bow before motioning to the entrance of the dojo, "Chaos will open a portal that will lead you all straight to our stronghold shortly. In the meantime, start preparing for our confrontation."

"How are we so sure that you'll do your part of the deal if you lose?" The question came from Zeo, his eyes meeting Dark Dranzer's and not wavering despite the holy beast's intense stare, "We wouldn't put it past you to do so."

Dark Dranzer huffed, "Says the ones that stabbed us in the back. If you must have reassurance, then we shall comply. We all swear on Night's name to hold up our end of the bargain if you do as well."

In the end, it seemed that the only thing these two opposing groups shared was their fondness of Night and their sorrow for his passing. Kai wondered what the kind spirit would do if he was present to this scene.

Max stepped forward, not surprising anyone. He had been the one that had known Night the longest and was one of the few that had fallen apart when he had died, "We swear on Night's name as well that we'll honor our side of the bargain."

Dark Dranzer smiled at Max but the blonde didn't feel any fear at the motion, almost as if his statement was appreciated, "Then it seems our deal is complete, with Night's name acting as a seal. Until we meet again, farewell." He took to the skies and vanished into the dark clouds that remained, surrounding Bey City in a manner that felt suffocating.

"There goes our plan." Bryan muttered after a long moment of silence.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Chamber of Elders, Unknown Dimension, Unknown Time_

In a land where mortals could not trend without losing the concept of time and space, seventeen beings that had helped create the universe and its inhabitants were gathered inside their chamber, sixteen of them sitting down while the seventeenth being was standing in front of them, awaiting judgment.

At the moment, all of the Elders were quiet as they watched the argument between Third – who wanted to keep Seventeen alive – and Fifteenth – who wanted to use Seventeen as a scapegoat for their mistakes and have her killed.

Third was glaring at Fifteenth, the bastard smirking back at her from his seat. She wondered if it would help Seventeenth's case if she punched Fifteenth in the face. She paused for a moment to think about that and decided that it wouldn't help Seventeenth.

"I understand your point, Fifteenth," She gritted out as politely as she could, "but she should not be held accountable for the actions Chaos, Erebus and the others have caused. They are sentient beings capable of thinking for themselves. Yes, emotions might have clouded their judgement but it's not her fault."

"Not her fault?" Fifteenth scoffed, "She insisted on putting useless emotions on the holy beasts. They were not meant to feel; they were meant to help us manage the worlds and dimensions by giving it more life. How do feelings come to play in that?"

The Fifteenth Elder currently looked like a young man of the age of twenty-four to appear more intimidating but his usual appearance was that of a young man that had barely hit the age of fourteen. His hair today was jet-black while his eyes were golden, giving him a very unnatural, out of this world look. He was dressed in a black suit today when he would've preferred dark blue jeans, red Converse and a black shirt that had the logo of some band. Either way, he was being a bastard.

"Feelings help with that because they can understand when they are doing something wrong without us needing to tell them." Third muttered.

"I don't think those beasts can tell the difference anymore." Eighth muttered, which didn't help the situation. The Eighth Elder had taken the form of a small girl of eleven with curly white hair that was longer than she was tall. She had piercing sky blue eyes that danced with intelligence, showing her true age. She was also wearing a frilly light pink dress, making her look younger. Even so, she was blinded to the fact that Seventeen was innocent, taking Fifteenth's side.

"You look at the actions of eleven at the moment and use that to condemn them all? That's not like you, Eighth." Fourth said as she stood, looking as fierce as Dragoon and Dark Dragoon, which she had created. She had taken the appearance of a fourteen year old with short navy-blue hair that was the same shade as Tyson's and had pale-white eyes that looked creepy because they were glowing slightly. She had donned a midnight-blue strapless dress that made her look more royal than before.

Third smiled in appreciation at her, glad that she, Ninth and Seventh were by her side. After all, the four of them had all create the four sacred bit-beasts, the most righteous of the holy beasts, excluding Night.

"Eleven holy beasts that, you seem to forget, have the power to destroy the dimensions if they want to." Eleventh interjected, standing up as well. Huh, Eleventh had decided to be a nineteen year old male today. He had long slate-colored hair that made it up to his shoulders and violet-red eyes that seemed to compliment his black princely robes.

"But they won't." Seventh replied, glaring at Eleventh with his pearl-colored eyes, "Don't confuse Chaos for Erebus. He might be rash but he still values the balance of the dimensions." The creator of Dark Draciel and Draciel was a red-haired thirteen year old male today, dressed in black attire that would suit an emperor in Ancient China.

"Enough," First's voice broke the arguing with her cool voice. She stared at Fourth and Eleventh, "Sit down, both of you. We will conclude this trial with no unwarranted outbursts. Is that clear?"

"They're moving." They all turned to see Second was the one that had spoken. She held up the small orb she was carrying, as if that answered their questions, "Chaos and the Forsaken Fallen have issued the official challenge to the bladers and the sacred spirits."

"Have they, now?" Fifteen sounded like he didn't care and he could feel Third's glare. He merely smirked at her again, much to her obvious displeasure. Second ignored him and made the ball float to First, who watched the images with her usual calculating gaze.

"This will be interesting." She announced before making the ball float back to Second, "Keep reporting as this trial continues, Second. The balance of the dimensions and universes hangs on the hope that the sacred spirits defeat the Forsaken Fallen."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Granger Dojo, Bey City, Earth_

After getting ready, all the bladers made their way to the entrance of the dojo where the portal to the dimension where the Forsaken Fallen currently rested. Tyson looked back at everyone, "Once you walk through this portal, there's no going back."

"Save us the cryptic warnings, Tyson." Michael grinned at the blunette, fixing his baseball cap, "Nothing is going to make us stay behind to watch these crazy bit-beasts take over the world."

"You'd be lost without us to back you up." Mystel inputted, fixing his mask.

"Let's not waste any time, Tyson." Kai stated, walking ahead of the dragon-wielder, "We have ten people to save."

"Twelve counting Ann and Takao," Tyson reminded him before looking at the portal that made their surroundings look as if they were looking at them from those distorted mirrors at fun houses. "Kaori, Riku, Aya, Hikaru, Shun, Raul, Julia, Hiro, Nami, Rin, Ann and Takao will be back. That's a promise."

He held his beyblade tightly in his hands, reassured by the stirring in his mind that he knew was Dragoon, "Let's go and do this."

With that said, Tyson and the rest of the beybladers entered the portal that led them to the dimension where they would have a battle to save humanity.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: The battles begin next chapter. I can't wait to start writing those battle scenes. And can someone smack Fifteen for me? Review please!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Sweet Sacrifice**

 **Song: Sweet Sacrifice by**


	20. Chapter 19: Sweet Sacrifice

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To Rapid P. Saiko, who's birthday is coming up! To Kaori, who's birthday is today. And to all the readers, too! One year of this and you're still here!**

 **Anime: After months of so of waiting for inspiration, chapter 19 has finally been uploaded!**

 **Night: That was a long wait, Anime.**

 **Anime: Sorry about that, guys. I've been kinda busy this summer that it has drained out of ideas for MIAB. However, I noticed that, oh my gods, the one year anniversary of this fic has come! Can you believe how excited I am? A year has passed and we have finally made it to the confrontation! Thank you to all the great readers/reviewers and those who have favorited/followed this story! Without you, MIAB would not have been one of my favorite fanfics to date.**

 **Night: Thank you all. Now, without further ado, chapter 19 of MIAB: Sweet Sacrifice.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" **Speaking"** : Ann/the Forsaken Fallen

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **19: Sweet Sacrifice**

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Ray couldn't say that he was surprised when he crossed the portal and found himself in the sky, falling down at a rapid pace. No, he was more surprised by the world they had fallen in to really question why they were falling out of the sky. Like Brooklyn's mind dimension, they had the ability to fly so that kept them from becoming human pancakes in the home of their opponents.

"This is crazy!" Kenny yelled, clutching his laptop as he tried to not fall on his face. That was a sentiment Ray was certain that they all shared as they floated down to the ground gracefully.

"No wonder Katsu couldn't find this place, no matter how hard he searched," Daichi said in awe as he reached the ground, "You can't find a place like this if you were an ordinary human."

"No kidding," Emily said as she fixed her glasses and looked at their surroundings, "It looks a lot like Earth. Except filled with more plant life and with less pollution." That made Max freeze, looking around more closely to see what Emily had noticed. It reminded him a lot of Night's prison, what with the clear skies, clean air and lush greenery.

"A castle is up ahead," Robert pointed up ahead, "That must be where the Forsaken Fallen is located."

"Let's go, then." Hilary said, before walking ahead. Everyone saw no other choice but to follow her.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

When Dark Dranzer had said that there was going to be a surprise waiting for them, they hadn't expected Zeus to be the surprise.

Mariah had gone up ahead and they had all heard her terrified scream before running up to see the state the Forsaken Fallen had left Zeus. The poor beast was hanging from the entrance, nailed to the wall. He was wearing a crown of thorns on his head that made him bleed while his right eye was swollen and his arms and legs looked like they were broken. His wings were out and were in a terrible state. Not as bad as Dark Dranzer's wings but a close second.

"Zeus!" Tyson cried out, shaking.

Zeus stirred and lifted his head before rolling his eyes, "It took you guys long enough." He coughed, chuckling weakly, "I was just about to die before you came here." He stopped talking, letting his head hang limply.

"We have to get him down from there!" Ming-Ming cried out, her eyes looking watery as if she was ready to cry.

Tyson jumped up and so did Kai and, thanks to the different dimension, they flew towards the limp Zeus. Tyson slowly pried the nail out of Zeus's palm, looking horrified while Kai did so without showing any emotion. Hilary looked away while the rest trembled, now aware of what cruel things the Forsaken Fallen could do to those they deemed to be 'useless' or 'traitors'.

Eventually, Zeus was brought down and they laid him down on the ground. Up close, the extent of his wounds were more visible and they all felt coldness seep into their bones at the cruel reality that this was not going to be like their previous battles. This was going to be a war.

"Go on." Ming-Ming muttered, kneeling down next Zeus, "Defeat those cold hearted beasts."

"I'll stay to look after Zeus as well." Garland volunteered before he was glared at by the blue-haired pop star.

"No. You need to there. I'm not going to be needed." She replied, "Go. We'll be okay, after all." Oliver kneeled down next to her and began to put pressure on Zeus's still bleeding wounds while Ming-Ming tried to clean the other wounds with her glove, looking like she was ready to cry.

"Take care. And be careful." Kenny told her and they left Ming-Ming, Oliver and Zeus/Brooklyn on the entrance. They opened the elegant double doors and entered the place that had kept Tyson a prisoner for a month.

It looked just like you would expect a castle to look like but Tyson shivered when he saw more of Takao's macabre paintings. The largest painting had all of their fallen friends asleep at the foot of Chaos's throne. In the distance, they could hear someone playing the harp and someone was singing a haunting tune.

"This is creepy." Ian muttered as they walked, each painting making them wonder what the artist had been thinking when drawing these beautifully dark paintings. They stopped in front of a door where they could feel power.

"Let's see what's behind door number one." Tyson stated before pushing the door open.

The room was one that made Tyson freeze on his tracks, immediately recognizing this room. The paintings on the ceiling were the same ones he had admired with Kaori before she had fallen.

 _Kaori._

Did that mean that-?

"Welcome. I've been waiting for you for some time." They all were now face to face with the holy beast that had taken over Kaori Kumai's body. Nemesis looked the same as she did as the day Kai had first seen her. Her eyes still had that maniacal gleam in them and she was still wearing the dark brown dress. The only difference was that it seemed that her short hair had grown up to her shoulders. She was holding her black and gold blade in one hand while the other hand beckoned them inside. Sprawled on the floor in front of her was none other than Ann.

"Welcome to the domain of the holy beast of vengeance," Nemesis said with a bow, "I'm glad that you didn't chicken out because of Hades's warning. He doesn't like Zeus much, you see."

"You're the first?" Tyson asked.

"Of course," Nemesis replied, sending him a charming smile, "I was the first to be betrayed. Oh, I had been such a fool to believe that my old friend Artemis just wanted to show me a valley she had discovered. The next thing I know, she's pushed me down a cliff where my brothers were waiting down there to seal me away into a horrible prison." She glared, "Never again."

"So we're going to meet the order in which the Forsaken Fallen were sealed in." Ray deduced.

"Nemesis, Hecate, Hades, Gaea, Ouranos, Tartarus, Dark Draciel, Dark Dragoon, Dark Driger, Dark Dranzer and Chaos it is, then," Max stated. They weren't very surprised that he knew that. He knew the whole story of these holy beasts better than anyone, considering that Night had told him the whole story.

"Very good!" Nemesis smiled before they saw Ann stir. Nemesis crouched down to grab the girl's hair and Ann cried out as Nemesis stood, still having a painful grip of Ann's hair. They could see that the girl was no longer under the influence of any member of the Forsaken Fallen, judging by the fear on her eyes and the tears streaming down.

"Let me go, please! Let me go home!" Ann cried.

Nemesis showed the poor girl to the bladers, "This is little Ann Giese. She lives a tragic tale, never being to escape our grasp ten years ago. In fact, she was supposed to have been killed by Rin when Dark Dranzer possessed him. It was impressive that she lived despite the hole Rin made on her chest."

"Stop." Hilary whispered, seeing the pained look on Ann's face as she struggled against the psychotic beast's grasp.

"She was useful for a while by letting us control her body . . . but wait!" Nemesis's eyes began to glow while they could see black coils wrap themselves around Ann's eyes like a blindfold, "We have our tamers so what use do we have of her?"

"Please!" Ann was clawing at the hand that held her captive, shaking her head, "Don't do this to me! Stop trying to hurt people!"

"You're no longer of any use." Nemesis stated before the coils around Ann's eyes tightened. She screamed, the sound echoing around the room while blood leaked out instead of tears. Ozuma must have had enough because he launched his blade at Nemesis, hitting her hand.

The beast screamed and, for a moment, they saw a young woman of eighteen with long flowing dark brown hair and golden-black eyes that were filled with pain from the attack. She vanished as soon as she appeared, though.

"How dare you lay a hand on me!" Nemesis yelled before Ozuma was lifted into the air, "Insolent brat!"

"Let him go, Kaori!" Tyson yelled and Nemesis's right eye turned blue for a moment before she covered it and growled at Tyson. He smiled. He knew it; Kaori was not fully gone. She was still trying to fight back against Nemesis's control, "Would Arion want you to do this?"

"Kaori is gone!" Nemesis yelled before she held her head. Kevin gave out a yell as he, Eddy, Spencer, Enrique, Miguel, Mystel, Lee, Michael and Ian rose to the air, just like Ozuma. Rick tried to grab at least one of them before Nemesis glared at them, "I always did hate large groups."

"Kaori, don't do it!"

Nemesis closed her eyes and, when she opened them, they were her eyes instead of Kaori's, "Good-bye."

Tyson didn't even get a chance to blink before his friends were gone. He narrowed his eyes at Nemesis, "Okay, Nemesis, what have you done to our friends? Where have you sent them?"

"They're still in this dimension, just in other places in the house." Nemesis cackled, the signs of Kaori still resisting disappearing at once. She giggled, as if she had remembered something funny, "And they've all been sent to fight the others and, if they lose, they'll lose their holy beasts and be trapped here."

"We can't waste any more time, then." Kai pointed his blade at Nemesis, looking as powerful and regal as ever. He felt Tyson and Max stand by him, also reaching for their blades.

"I challenge you, Nemesis!"

Everyone turned to who had said that and were all shocked and surprised to see that it had been Hilary. Kenny was just going to argue with her when she walked forward, "Artemis knew you before. This isn't you, Nemesis. She . . . we still believe in you. So we're going to draw your good side out, whether you want to or not."

"Hilary, you haven't had enough training. Don't do it." Kenny whispered.

"She'll be fine, Chief." Tyson grinned at him before nodding at Hilary, "Kick her ass, Hil, and bring back Kaori." Hilary smiled, shooting him a thumbs up before she was now standing across from Nemesis. Nemesis's eyes glinted as she grinned, as if she thought this was going to be easy.

"Don't count me out!" Ray heard Mariah yell before she ran to be next to Hilary, loading her blade, "There's no way I'm letting you go up against an experienced blader by yourself."

"One and a half blader versus one?" Nemesis stated, ignoring Hilary's enraged shout of 'a half?!' before giggling, "Why not? Sounds like this will be fun. I can't wait to end you."

"You can win." Hilary heard Ann whisper, her hair covering her face but she could see blood dripping from her chin. She loaded her blade and frowned, "Let's win this one, Mariah. For Kaori and Ann."

"You can bet on that." Mariah winked before the three girls took their positions, "Three! Two! One!"

"Let it rip!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Deep inside the recess of a certain being's mind, in a place where others could not enter without the help of a beast, a voice echoed through the darkness, slicing through the silence like a blade.

"Kaori!"

The female in question, surrounded in black chains that kept her from waking up, had drawn her knees to her chest with her arms around them while her head hung low. There was a small glow around her, the only light in this dark abyss. The yell made her stir before she opened her eyes.

' _Tyson?'_ She called out, raising her head. She looked around, _'Where are you? I can hear your voice!'_ She detangled herself and stood up, floating in place as the chains could not let her leave.

' _You made him a promise, Kaori. Fulfill it.'_

Kaori had no idea where the voice had come from but she knew that it was right. She had made Tyson a promise that she wouldn't fall. Of course, that had failed but she needed to go back and apologize for doing so. She wrapped her hands around the chains and pulled, hissing when they started to hurt her, _'I'm not going to let Nemesis get away with this anymore! I'm going to be free! This is my body, not hers! I refuse to let her win!'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

The three blades collided and Hilary clenched her teeth when she felt the ground below her shake. Mariah and Nemesis had no trouble holding on while the world trembled but one was a seasoned blader and the other was a beast. How could Hilary hold up when she had barely begun to truly blade?

' _Don't hold doubts. Believe in yourself.'_

' _Thanks for the pep talk, Artemis.'_

The three blades separated, Nemesis's blade spinning in the middle while Galux and Artemis circled it. Mariah stared deep into Nemesis's eyes before yelling, "Galux, go!" The pink blade rushed to hit Nemesis and Nemesis grinned, as if she had expected that.

"Too predictable." She replied, the blade moving out of the way. In the sidelines, she could have sworn she saw Ray smirk. She frowned, wondering why he looked so confident.

The answer came when Hilary's blade smashed right into Nemesis's blade and she hissed when it was sent flying before crashing to the wall, her eyes flashing when she saw Mariah's smirk, "You're a devious one, aren't you, girl?"

"I pride myself in believing so." The pink-haired member of the White Tigers replied, spinning her Galux blade next to Artemis, "You forget about our handicap, Nemesis. That was your mistake."

"Indeed so." Nemesis said before her blade began to glow. A black dog that was as big as a house leapt out, its eyes similar to Nemesis's own eyes. She chuckled, "I won't let you win, foolish girls."

Nemesis's blade began to spin so fast it began to float in the air, a small tornado forming that reminded both female bladers of Dragoon's Storm Attack. They sent their blades to different directions, watching but not knowing what to do yet.

"Retribution of Hell." Nemesis stated before her blade dropped to the ground, causing the room and the castle to shake once again, the vibrations and impact sending Mariah and Hilary flying, hitting the wall with a yell. Their blades also went airborne but they managed to keep spinning once they landed.

"You'll pay for that." Mariah said, the side of her head bleeding. Ray felt Kai grab his arm so he wouldn't interfere. He growled, hating to see how Nemesis had hurt both Mariah and Hilary.

Hilary stood, her legs wobbly. Daichi clenched his fists, wishing he could switch with Hilary. She didn't have enough experience battling and now she was fighting against a member of the Forsaken Fallen? Tyson must either have a lot of faith in her or he had gone crazy in his stay in this dimension.

"We're not going down so quickly," Hilary smirked, "We've been taking a page out of Tyson and the others. So think again before thinking an attack like that could defeat us."

"You go, Hilary, Mariah!" Mathilda cheered for the girls, feeling herself being fueled by their beyblading spirit.

Tyson smiled, "Show 'em the power of your bond with your bit-beasts, guys."

"You bet, Ty." Hilary said, "We're taking Nemesis down!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Kaori knew she was stubborn but she refused to back down once she was challenged. It was a trait that had gotten her to become an excellent blader and she was proud to say that.

The chains were slowly falling apart and Kaori could feel herself getting more powerful after she had broken three chains. She gave out a yell of pain as she held onto the final two chains and pulled with all her might. Nemesis was not going to keep her as a prisoner of her own body anymore!

' _I'm coming, Tyson!'_ Kaori yelled, _'I have a promise to fulfill and a partner to see!'_ Just remembering Arion made her fight against her restraints with more power. Her best friend was out there, waiting for her to return. People were waiting for her. And she was not going to disappoint anyone.

She hissed when she felt herself being attacked and looked to the distance, _'What on earth is happening out there?'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Galux, Vicious Claw Attack!"

"Artemis, Starlight Dance!"

Nemesis dodged Galux's attack but was hit by the barrage of star-like lights Artemis had thrown at her. Kenny frowned, wondering why Nemesis was allowing the attacks to reach her. He could hear Dizzi trying to find out why herself. He could see that, when Nemesis's blade moved, it appeared graceful. It seemed as if it was performing a dance. . .

"Mariah, Hilary, it's a trap!" Kenny yelled, his voice overlapping with Dizzi's.

"Too late." Nemesis replied, her eyes glowing while she chuckled, "Dance my puppets. Rhamnous Sanctuary!" Time seemed to slow down while Nemesis's blade zoomed gracefully around the two blades she was fighting against while the black dog that was Nemesis's true form roared, attacking Hilary and Mariah.

There was now a gash on Hilary's cheek while there was one on Mariah's stomach. They didn't even have the time to recover before Nemesis attacked both blades that seemed to pack the same power as all of the attacks that had hit the blade. Both girls yelled as they went airborne once again and Ray could've sworn he had heard Galux scream before he saw that Mariah's blade shattered.

"Mariah!"

The pink-haired girl didn't even get to fall when black coils wrapped themselves around her and enveloped her. The darkness vanished when Nemesis snapped her fingers and, with that, Mariah was gone.

"Where's Mariah?!" Max yelled.

Nemesis chuckled, "She's gone, it seems. She's been taken to Chaos's chamber and you won't get her back until you beat all of us. If you lose, that is what'll happen. That is what you agreed to, after all." She turned to look at Hilary's form on the ground and laughed, "You'll probably lose her too."

"No way." Tyson growled.

"Hilary will beat ya up and then we'll save Mariah!" Daichi yelled at Nemesis, "Just you wait and see!"

Hilary coughed as she tried to get up on her feet once more. She wiped the blood from her mouth, trembling a little. She was terrified of the consequences. If she lost, Mariah and everyone else would become servants to the Forsaken Fallen. She felt a hand close over hers and she was startled when she saw it was Ann.

"She's still fighting for control." She whispered and Hilary felt her put something in her hand, "You can help her regain control and Nemesis will lose. Kaori can wake up, if you can use him to help you."

Hilary was about to question Ann over what she was talking about when the black coils that had taken Mariah away wrapped themselves around Ann's neck. She gave out a gasp for breath before she was lifted into the air by Nemesis. She was flung towards a wall but, before she did, Gary threw himself in the way.

"You okay?" He asked the girl before nodding at Hilary, "Get up, Hilary, and battle. We believe in you."

' _And I do too, my dear friend.'_

Hilary stared at her wobbling blade before standing, clenching her fists and feeling the thing Ann had given her. She frowned before realization dawned on her on what it was. She grinned before turning to Nemesis, "With this, Artemis and I can bring Kaori back."

"What does she mean by that?" Daichi questioned Tyson when he noticed that the navy-haired teen seemed to have understood what Hilary had meant by saying that. Tyson smirked but said nothing. Ray and Max looked just as confused as Daichi while it seemed Kai had pieced everything together.

"Artemis, let's do this!" Hilary yelled and her blade began to glow before her mighty partner finally emerged, staring Nemesis's true form down. Hilary's eyes turned silver for a moment before initiating her attack, "Moonlight Madness attack!"

Artemis leapt majestically and slammed onto Nemesis while both blades clashed, Nemesis gritting her teeth as the attack formed minor vibrations. Nemesis's eyes widened when she saw the image behind Hilary, "Where did you find him?"

Standing behind Hilary was a majestic silver pegasus that was glaring right at Nemesis. Hilary smiled, "It appears you've stolen Arion's partner, Nemesis. So he wants her back."

' _And I am coming, Arion!'_ Nemesis heard before she heard the sound of a chain breaking. She froze before giving a yell. The two blades separated and spun across from each other while everyone watched Nemesis and Kaori battle for control. She placed a hand on her head, trembling, " _Go back to sleep, Kaori!_ N-Never! Give me back my body! _Go back!_ Ngh . . . Hilary, now!"

"Artemis, let's go again! Moonlight Madness!"

Nemesis shook her head before yelling, "Fortune Retribution!"

The two attacks collided, the two beasts clashing once more before there was an explosion that sent everyone flying, the smoke from the explosion hiding Hilary and Nemesis/Kaori from view. Tyson sat up, rubbing the back of his head, "Are you okay, guys?!"

"Never felt better." Kenny mumbled before jumping slightly, "Wait, who won?"

"We'll know once the smoke clears." Kai said, standing up and helping Tyson up, "Hopefully, it was our victory." They were all silent, waiting just like Kai had said. They didn't wait that long as the smoke faded rather quickly and Ray took a step forward to see what had happened.

"Guys, it was a draw!"

Both Nemesis and Hilary were on the ground, their blades motionless next to them. Hilary seemed like she had gone through hell, her clothes matted with her own blood, while Nemesis only had blood running down the side of her face.

"What does a draw count as?" Rick asked before they saw the darkness that had taken Mariah wrap itself around Hilary while, at the same time, they saw something leaving Kaori's body and enter the blade.

"Hilary!" They all yelled while Tyson and Max ran to their friend. Max was just about to grab her hand when she vanished, taken to Chaos just as Mariah had. Max sat down, grabbing the beaten-up blade where he could see Artemis, "They may have lost one of their own but we lost two." He clenched Artemis tightly, ignoring the urge to yell at how unfair that was.

Tyson, on the other hand, ran to Kaori's aid, Kai following. Tyson shook the unconscious girl's shoulders while Kai helped her into a sitting position. "Kaori?" Tyson whispered and his eyes lit up when he saw her open her eyes slightly. Her eyes were blue-red once more, meaning Nemesis was gone.

"Am I still dreaming? Or is Kai Hiwatari really holding me?" Kaori laughed before coughing, "If I didn't feel like shit, I think I'd be squealing in delight like the fangirl I am."

"You're definitely back." Tyson laughed.

Kaori nodded, closing her eyes before sighing, "And it's great to be back, Tyson."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Nemesis is done for the count and Kaori returns! Ah, yeah!**

 **Night: You are writing the beybattle for Hecate next.**

 **Anime: . . . Ugh. See you in a month or two, then. These beybattles are killing me, let me tell ya that. I don't know how some of you could make such good ones. Do you have special training or something?**

 **Night: Review button is down below so send us your thoughts.**

 **Anime: See ya soon!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Tourniquet**

 **Song: Tourniquet by Evanescence**

 **Preview: One down, about ten more to go! After beating Nemesis, our heroes must battle against the Forsaken Fallen member Hecate! How will they fair against this beast?**


	21. Chapter 20: Tourniquet

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To Miley Agrawal, who is celebrating her birthday!**

 **Anime: Geez! This took a lot of strength from me!**

 **Night: A shame, as you hardly have any strength.**

 **Anime: That's rude, Night. Anyways, I finally wrote out Hecate's battle! Unfortunately, Hades's might take a while because school finally started and that saps away all of my power. *sigh***

 **Night: We mourn for summer.**

 **Anime: Enough mourning for now. Oh, I'm starting to upload this to Wattpad, along with AOTFF. Anyways, to the chapter!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **20: Tourniquet**

 _The world is an empty, desolate land. No matter what there is in it, it shall always be hollow. My dear creator, the great Third Elder, would always ask of me, "My dear Hecate, holy beast of magic, do you understand what it means to be happy?"_

 _I never had an answer for her. I was blessed with a mind that could understand emotion yet not feel it. A flaw in my design, perhaps. A flaw that my dear Third tried her hardest to fix. Alas, it was for naught. How could someone like me understand such a thing?_

" _Is it fun to do nothing but stare aimlessly up at the stars?"_

 _I stared blankly up at the young male looming over me. With his beautiful face yet unbalanced aura, I was in awe over him. Still, I did not know what that felt like so I believed it to be awe._

" _Stargazing is a sacred tradition among us holy beasts. It is not fun."_

" _And why should it not?"_

" _Stargazing is a serious matter. It can foresee our fate so it cannot be fun."_

" _Then that is a shame. Why can it not be fun to observe their beauty?"_

" _I already told you why, fool!"_

 _He laughed, much to my shock and annoyance(?). He smiled before sitting down next to me, as if he enjoyed my company. That was odd. No one enjoyed my company except for Night, Hades and Nemesis._

" _I knew Erebus was wrong about you. You can show emotion."_

 _That insolent beast – Chaos – was the first to believe in my ability to have and display emotion. I did not understand why that meant so much to me but, at that moment, he was as important in my eyes as Third Elder. Much later, I understood that I had held him in such a high regard because he made me_ feel _._

 _So, when the time came and he asked me to join him for his cause and fight, I could only comply. How could I resist not going to my darling Chaos's side, when I knew him to be true righteousness? After all, no one that was evil could smile as innocently as he did._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

"So that's what I missed while I was asleep." Kaori said. The group was walking up the stairs, Ann being carried by Gary as she was asleep. Kai briefly wondered if the damage to her eyes could ever be fixed, although he doubted it. Of course, that wasn't the only damage she had. Who knew whether or not she'd be okay mentally, after everything she had gone through.

"Anything you can fill us in on?" Tyson asked, steadying her as her legs wobbled, her breath labored. He could see her straining herself to continue walking. She was just too stubborn to accept help, "I think you need some rest, Kaori. You look terrible, as if you aged three years."

"Think so?" She asked before shaking her head, "I'm fine. And I never heard anything important. Not that I'd remember." She trembled, before she continued to climb, her breathing labored, "Man, my soul room was really cold. I don't want to be in there unless Arion is with me."

"Hecate is up next." Kenny asked, "Do you know anything about her?"

"Unlike Nemesis's offense blade, Hecate is a balance-type blade like Dranzer." Kaori replied, her voice no longer sounding tired, "Her bit-beast, or true form, is a black snake that's as huge as Dragoon. She's pretty fast, too, but not as fast Driger. I think you can beat her faster than Nemesis." She shrugged, "I could be wrong."

'Wow. You got all that from seeing her while you were trapped inside Nemesis?' Dizzi asked, 'That is one crazy talent you got there.'

Kaori shrugged, "Beyblade is just my thing." She stopped before turning around to look at everyone, "Tyson, Kai, Max and Ray can't face Hecate, Hades, Gaea, Tartarus or Ouranos." Just as they were going to question her, she answered, "You four are crucial for the defeat of your bit-beasts' dark counterparts. I am afraid that, without you guys, we won't defeat them."

"Then everyone else can fight?" Garland asked.

Kaori nodded, "With Hecate, Hades, Gaea, Ouranos and Tartarus, we can use two of our own to defeat them as they don't have a grudge on a specific beast. Dark Draciel, Dark Dragoon, Dark Driger and Dark Dranzer will be pissed if anyone but Max, Tyson, Ray and Kai were to fight them."

"So what's the plan?" Mariam asked, crossing her arms in front of her and looking worried. Joseph patted her back, also looking worried. No doubt they were worried over Ozuma, as he could've landed anywhere.

"We'll decide who will fight Hecate. I'll leave that decision up to Kenny," Kaori said before she fell to her knees, gasping for breath, "He'll know what . . . to do." She closed her eyes, the dark circles under her eyes looking darker, "I think I need to rest here for a moment. I'm so tired."

"Then rest, Kaori," Ray said, crouching down to squeeze her shoulder, "You must be exhausted." She nodded before she went silent. Ray stood up and faced Kenny, "So, who's fighting Hecate?"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Chaos's Chamber, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Chaos knocked over a chess piece, looking at it sadly before looking to the window, "Nemesis, you fought bravely. When we win, we'll break the seal that keeps you trapped in that infernal blade. I swear that to you." He studied the chess set before holding the black king and using it to knock over a white pawn, "You may have taken one of mine, Tyson, but you lost three pawns for that."

He looked up at the ceiling where Hilary, Mariah and Ozuma were hanging, held there by dark chains before surveying the chess field. Eleven blacks and thirty-two whites. Three whites were knocked over while two more were not even being used. He grabbed a black rook and smiled, "You can defeat them, right Hecate?"

"For you, Chaos," He heard her speak from the shadows, "I'd face even the Elders." She vanished, returning to her room while Chaos placed the black rook in front of two white pawns.

"Do you really believe in her? Or are you just giving her a false hope?" Dark Dranzer asked, appearing behind Chaos with Ian floating next to him. He floated the small male up to join the others, "If so, you are a cruel person."

"I believe in Hecate," Chaos said, using a black queen to knock down a white pawn, "That's all she really wants, you know. Someone to believe in her."

"You're willing to be that person?" Dark Draciel asked, appearing with a bloodied Miguel on her arms. She threw him into the air so he could join the others while Chaos used a bishop to knock down a pawn. Dark Draciel sniffed, "I'm not even considered a knight? You offend me."

"Only queens, bishops, knights and rooks are here. There are no pawns on our side." Chaos said as he looked at the other side, "That's not the case with them."

"It doesn't matter." Dark Dranzer said as he sat down across from Chaos and picked up the white king, "Once the king falls on their side, it's all over."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

They finally reached Hecate's room, Kaori hanging onto Ray as she was still half-asleep and tired. Kai opened the double doors just as Hecate materialized into the room, looking the same as they had last seen her.

"Julia."

Hecate had dual colored hair the same way Julia had, except that the top part of her hair was a dark purple and the bottom part was black. She was wearing a body hugging, off-the-shoulder dark purple dress with a right knee-high slit and with sleeves that made it up to her arms. She was surrounded by a dark purple aura while her eyes flashed violet. She smiled before bowing, "Welcome, mortals, to my chamber. I applaud you for your defeat of Nemesis. However, I cannot allow you to continue and have orders to eliminate you."

"Is that so?" Kai asked, "Do you think you have the power to defeat us?"

Hecate nodded, "Of course I can defeat you. It'll be as easy as when I defeated the human Nemesis sent me." She tossed something at Ray, who caught it quickly. When he saw what it was, he took in a sharp intake of breath. It was Lee's blade.

"What did you do to him?!" Ray yelled, his eyes narrowing and turning cat-like, while Hecate just smiled cruelly, "Answer me!" Lee was nowhere to be seen, making Gary and Ray nervous. If this had happened to Lee, then what had befallen Kevin, who had also disappeared like Lee?

"My brother Galeon was being a pest with his tamer so I wasted no time destroying them." Hecate answered, placing a hand on her hip, closing her eyes before opening them once more, "So, shall we start the battle, love? Who are your champions that will face me?"

Kenny turned around and nodded. Emily and Mathilda both stepped forward, loading their blades before pointing them at Hecate. Hecate smirked before taking out her purple-black blade. Max patted Emily in the back, the orangette turning to look at Max, "You can do this."

"I know I can." She answered before nodding at Mathilda, "We'll make her pay."

"Y-Yeah!" Mathilda nodded, swallowing up her nervousness, "We're going to get Julia back!" She could handle this battle and find Miguel and the others Nemesis had sent away. With her help, they'd save Julia from the clutches of Hecate.

Hecate giggled in a manner that would suit a schoolgirl better than an ancient spirit, "You are going to face me? The girl who couldn't defeat Raul and some girl who never participated in the championships?" When Mathilda and Emily started, Hecate pointed at her head, "I can see them. Julia's memories, I mean. It seems she was a better blader than both of you. With her experience and my own power, I can defeat you."

"Don't underestimate us!" Mathilda said, surprising Emily and everyone else with her bravery. The timid pink-haired girl pointed her launcher at Hecate, "We're a lot stronger than then! Unlike you, we've been training hard!"

"How will that fare for you, I wonder?" She asked, playing with a black strand of her hair before pushing it away from her face, "Well, let's play this game and see for ourselves, shall we?"

"Hope you can back up the talk." Emily smirked, "Don't want to disappoint anyone, right?" With those words, Hecate froze, as if remembering something before shaking her head and loading her blade onto the launcher. The three females got into position while Max started the countdown.

"Three! Two! One!"

All the girls launched their blades as they yelled, "Let it rip!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _Let me fight with you!" I screamed, stopping Chaos effectively. He was ready to go battle Erebus and the rest of Eden's Rapture, holding a dagger tightly in his hands. He turned around, looking at me with eyes filled with sorrow._

" _I cannot ask you to give up everything, Hecate, for this war." Chaos said, Dark Dranzer standing behind him. Because she was his right hand, a position that I wanted to have._

" _But I want to be of use to you!" I yelled back, wanting to look powerful in front of him. Dark Dragoon just crossed his arms in front of his chest while Dark Driger and Dark Draciel were sitting down on fallen tree trunks. But Dark Dranzer was still standing next to him._

 _It frustrated me. I couldn't be his best friend – that was Night – or the one he loved – Sasha was occupying that spot, even if she was dead – so I had thought I could be his right hand in the war against Eden's Rapture. Unfortunately, that spot had been taken from me as well._

 _So who was I to Chaos?_

" _You do not have to fight. You can stay in the temple with Night and the others."_

" _I know. That is why I will fight by your side," I smiled, "I can even recruit Nemesis and Hades for this cause!"_

" _Do you think you can kill the people you once called brothers and sisters?" Dark Dranzer asked, running a hand through her long hair, "Are you prepared to die for this cause?"_

" _If you cannot, you have no place among our ranks." Dark Driger said, sharpening his claws while staring at me with his golden eyes._

 _I nodded, completely sure of that. I was going to make myself worthy of Chaos and become someone worthy of his care and affection. I wanted him to recognize my power. I wanted . . ._

 _What did I want from Chaos?_

 _Julia looked down and turned away, sighing, "You're hopeless, Hecate."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

As the three blades clashed together, Tyson noticed that Hecate wasn't paying attention completely to the battle. Something was weighing down in her mind and he was curious over what that was. Whatever it was, it was a small blessing as Mathilda and Emily were giving Hecate a good beating because of it.

Dragoon pulsated in his hand and Tyson looked up to see someone obscured in the shadows. By the way Dragoon was shaking, it had to be Dark Dragoon. _Hiro_ , He thought, squeezing his blade. Kai noticed how tense the navy-haired male was before turning back to the match, his grip on Dranzer tight. If anyone actually saw his blade, they'd see it was shaking. It seemed four of the members of the Forsaken Fallen were watching and, judging by the trembling blades of Tyson, Max, Ray and Kai, they were familiar faces.

On the battlefield, Emily and Mathilda were taking turns hitting Hecate's blade in rapid strikes that Hecate, with her distracted mind, couldn't keep up with. However, she didn't seem to be too worried about that. Emily smirked. She needed to change that.

"Mathilda, move Pierce Hedgehog out of the way," Emily said as the pink-haired girl did just that. Emily was surrounded by a green aura as she yelled, "Trygator, Aqua Barrage!"

"That's a new one." Max thought aloud before Trygator came out of its blade, giving out a roar that made Hecate close her eyes as she felt the bit-beast's power. A wall of water appeared behind Trygator before it threatened Hecate. The Forsaken Fallen member finally got out of her daze to dodge the attack.

"That was foolish." Hecate stated, wondering why Emily had gone with such a frontal assault. In her memories of the girl, she had more tact than that.

"Says the one who forgot about me!" Hecate looked up to see Mathilda had sprouted butterfly wings and was flying in the air. Mathilda stuck out her tongue before launching her attack, "Pierce Hedgehog, Poison Needle!"

Hecate hissed as the attack landed and, for a moment, they saw Julia's spirit with her hands over her heart. The moment ended when Hecate's eyes flashed purple and black goo came out of her blade as her true form – the black serpent Zeo and Kaori had told them about – appeared with a hiss.

"You'll pay for that," Hecate said as part of her face was now scaly, making many people present flinch, including Emily and Mathilda, "The last person that made me show this face had their neck snapped. Let's see if I can snap yours."

 _Julia shook her head, 'How can I help you if you're too interested in your inner darkness? Do you even know what you really want from Chaos?'_

"Mist of Illusion." Hecate whispered, ignoring Julia's voice while the black goo latched itself around Hecate's blade and made it disappear. Emily scanned the area rapidly before catching a glimpse of a shimmer near Pierce Hedgehog.

"There!" She yelled as Trygator rushed to hit Hecate before she collided with Pierce Hedgehog.

Hecate smirked before Kai's eyes widened, "It's a trap!"

Before Emily could attack, Hecate smoothly got out of the way. The two blades slammed together, Emily and Mathilda yelling out in pain as they fell to their knees. Emily grunted as she got up, "Cheap trick, Hecate."

"I don't play by the rules, silly girl." Hecate laughed, her blade materializing in front of her, "Illusion Replica." Her blade shimmered and they all flinched when they noticed that her blade was identical to Zeus.

' _You used to be good. You wanted to be good so he'd notice you.'_ Hecate imagined chains appear around Julia's soul but, within their joined soul room, she saw that the female blader was just staring at her with pitying eyes. She decided to ignore her, knowing how to attack her opponents.

She pointed at Trygator and at Emily before smirking, "King of Darkness Attack."

"Emily!" Mathilda cried out from her spot on the ground, sending her wobbling Pierce Hedgehog to try to defend Trygator but Hecate reached the blade before she could help.

Emily expected pain. She had seen two people face this attack before so she knew it was going to be painful. Still, nothing prepared her for the excruciating pain she felt now. She released a bloodcurdling scream as "Zeus" slashed her chest and face, Hecate's replica of Zeus destroying Trygator, leaving behind a heavily damaged bit-chip. Emily fell forward but, before she could fall face-first into the ground, the darkness swallowed her up.

"No," Kenny whispered while, somewhere, Chaos made a black rook knock over a white pawn. Max gripped his trembling blade tightly and felt Draciel trying to reassure him within their soul room. Rick had to be held back by Steven as Emily was taken, growling.

"How did you like that?" Hecate chuckled, turning to the small girl sprawled on the ground, "Now it's you and me left, little Mathilda."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _Go, Pierce Hedgehog!" Mathilda directed her blade to move between the soda cans the way she had often seen Kai do before hitting them all. They all landed in a crude form of Stonehedge and she huffed, "How does Kai do all those tricks?"_

" _Do not try to push yourself to be like someone else," She turned around to see Night sitting down next to her, looking at the cans before directing his gaze at her. He was in his astral projection, considering he was transparent and his eyes were completely white._

 _She gave out small yelp of surprise and Night chuckled, "I apologize for frightening you. But it is getting late and everyone is getting ready to rest. I suggest you do the same."_

" _I can't do that," Mathilda said, recalling her blade, "I don't want to be a burden when we fight the Forsaken Fallen. I want to fight. I want to be as strong as Tyson, Kai, Max and Ray. I don't want to fall behind everyone." She looked down, "I feel as if I'm always going to be looking at their backs. For once, I want to stand next to them and make a difference." She felt something cool lift her chin up, making her make eye contact with the ancient spirit._

" _You have a good heart, dear Mathilda." Night said with a smile, "It seems you have plenty of courage within your heart. Unlock it soon. Once you do, you will be able to stand next to them all."_

" _You think so?"_

 _Night nodded, "I know you can. All of you are courageous and strong; I have no doubt that you will be able to defeat my brothers and sisters." He looked up and pointed at the darkening sky, "You are day and they are night. You and everyone else have to be the sun that illuminates the darkness. Even a small candle can repel darkness, after all."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Mathilda stood up, Night's words ringing on her head, "I am day and you are night. I must be the sun that illuminates the darkness." She began to glow brightly, Hecate covering her eyes as Mathilda glowed brighter. Tyson held his chest as he felt something tugging out to reach the pink-haired girl, much to his surprise.

"You are a small candle within this darkness!" Hecate spoke, her eyes turning yellow and scalene so she looked a lot like the snake she literally was, "I am going to defeat you, little pawn." For _his_ sake, she had to win.

' _So, have you figured it out yet?'_ Julia said with a chuckle, closing her eyes, _'I guess not. Do you know what you want from Chaos?'_ Hecate paused, wanting to know. Unfortunately for her, she had forgotten to launch an attack and had left herself wide open for an attack.

Mathilda sprouted her butterfly wings once again as she took flight, "Pierce Hedgehog, let's show her that a small candle can repel the darkness!" Her bit-beast gave out its battle cry as it agreed with her. Max could've sworn he saw Night stand behind Mathilda before she yelled, "Toxic Eruption!"

The two blades clashed as Pierce Hedgehog launched a barrage of light needles at Hecate's true form, making Hecate scream loudly. The battlefield glowed too bright for anyone to see before there was an explosion.

' _Looks like you lose, Hecate.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Chaos gave out a small gasp, one of the white pawns he had been playing with knocking down his black rook. He stared at the fallen chess piece before closing his eyes, "Hecate. . ."

"She failed." Dark Dranzer reported as he appeared next to Chaos, blinking, "Wow, that was one light show. It almost felt as intense as Night's inner light, when I once spared with him."

"It couldn't have been." Dark Dragoon said as he materialized behind Chaos, "It only looked like it, Yami-Suzaku. Why would Night help a small, pathetic human like that girl, anyways? Not to mention that he went to the land of the stars. He's gone."

"Perhaps." Chaos picked up the fallen rook and placed it with the other fallen black chess piece, "Tell Hades to pick up his guard and to not allow them to defeat him. Gaea and the twins don't need to do battle if he succeeds."

"If?" Dark Draciel asked as she appeared, arms crossed.

"Do you have faith in us at all?" Dark Driger complained, appearing above Chaos and stretching in a feline manner that suited him, "That's offensive, you know."

Chaos smirked, "Come now, that's not what I meant. I just thought it'd be interesting if they came all the way to us, don't you think, Dark Dranzer?" His right hand chuckled and nodded, "Or do you want to be stuck doing nothing?"

"We understand." Dark Draciel yawned, "So, let's prepare for them."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

' _What was it that I wanted?'_ Hecate asked as Julia's soul room transformed into an empty circus tent. Julia was sitting on one of the trapezes, swinging while looking down at her. Hecate yelled as her form began to dissolve, _'What did I want from Chaos?'_

' _You're hopeless.'_ Julia said with a sigh, _'It should be obvious what you wanted from Chaos. Well, obvious to everyone but you, apparently.'_

' _What was it?!'_ Hecate cried as she fell to her knees, feeling herself being forced to leave Julia's body. She refused to go to that place before finding out what she had truly wanted.

Julia smiled, _'You wanted his love.'_

Hecate stared wide-eyed at her before chuckling, eyes softening with unshed tears, _'That's ironic. The holy beast who could feel nothing fell in love with the holy beast who was doomed in love. Third Elder must be so proud of me.'_ A tear ran down her cheek, _'I'm sorry, Chaos. I failed you.'_ She disappeared, leaving Julia alone in her soul room.

She looked up, _'I'm finally free.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Julia!" Mathilda cried out the fallen girl's name while Kenny put Hecate's bit-chip – the only thing left from the girl – in his pocket to join Arion, Nemesis, Galux, Artemis and Trygator. Ray had Julia in a sitting position while Kaori was shaking her. They'd seen Hecate leave her body so why wasn't she waking up?

Julia stirred and finally opened her eyes, making Mathilda give out a little sob of relief. She blinked and smiled, "It's been a long time since I've seen your faces." She stood up slowly before smiling, "Thanks for freeing me."

"Hey, it was the least we could do, Julia," Max said with a grin. He punched the air as he laughed, "Two down, nine more to go! So let's rescue our other friends!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: I don't know if it was obvious but, behind Hilary and Mariah, Mathilda is one of my favorite girls in Beyblade. Julia is tied to third place with Mathilda over being my favorite female character, hence the reason why she was still awake within her soul room. After that, it's Mariam. Salima, Queen, Emily and Ming-Ming? Ehh . . . Don't make me choose over them. XD**

 **Night: Leave a review, as they are known to help Anime write quickly. *turns to face Anime* Are you done making me appear in this story?**

 **Anime: Uh . . . see ya guys in chapter 21!**

 **Night: You did not answer my question!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Falling Inside the Black**

 **Song: Falling Inside the Black by Skillet**

 **Preview: Two down, about nine more to go! After beating Hecate and having Julia back, our heroes must battle against the Forsaken Fallen member Hades! But why does Zeo want to fight him? And why does Hades follow Chaos, if not for his debt to Hecate?**


	22. Chapter 21: Falling Inside The Black

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To Ann AKA Granger Rebellion, who is celebrating her birthday!**

 **Anime: I can taste colors. Is that normal?**

 **Night: Go rest, Anime. I believe you deserve it. You worked harder than usual to get the updates for the September Surge in.**

 **Sasha: Stay tuned for tomorrow and the 25** **th** **. There will be updates.**

 **Erebus: *pokes Anime* I think she's dead, guys.**

 **Night: She can join me.**

 **Sasha: Well, this is the Hades chapter and so we'll get an interesting battle between a holy beast and a robot. You know what I'm talking about. To the chapter!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **21: Falling Inside the Black**

' _Why do you fight for the Forsaken Fallen? You have no obligation to them anymore, now that Hecate's gone.'_ Raul spoke to the holy beast in front of him. Raul and Hades were within Raul's darkened soul room, with Raul being covered in chains to avoid him from waking up and taking control of his body.

Hades looked away from him, gazing into the distance as if he was remembering something, _'The reason why I continue to be with the Forsaken Fallen is not because of Hecate. Nemesis and I may have joined because Hecate asked it of us. But that is not the reason why we stayed.'_

For a brief moment, he saw a young woman appear in the distance before she vanished, too quickly for Raul to see her features properly. He tried to focus on Hades's memories to see who it was but he felt the woman being blocked from his memory.

Raul frowned before he struggled with his chains, _'Why do you stay?'_

' _Nemesis and I both joined because we saw how much Hecate loved Chaos and wanted to make her happy. After time, we both decided to stay. Nemesis stayed because she believes in Chaos's ideals, as do I."_

Hades turned to look at Raul and smirked, something that looked really creepy because Hades looked a lot like him, _"But the reason that I continue to stay with the Forsaken Fallen is because I know that this is the only course of action. If we don't do this, the Elders will never understand the error in their ways.'_

Raul shook his head before speaking, _'You must know that there other ways to do this! All of this could be done in another, harmless way.'_

' _Nothing changes unless extreme measures are taken.'_ Hades responded, the brim of eyes glowing red as if he had been crying, _'That is the one and only universal truth that I believe in. And it is the one I will continue to believe in.'_

Raul glared, struggling against his restrains and cursing himself for falling and becoming a prisoner to his own body. He hated that his jailer was this insane and extremist bit-beast. _'You're insane.'_ He said.

' _Thanks for noticing.'_ Hades chuckled, sounding as insane as he looked, _'I am not as easily swayed as one of my brothers.'_ Raul wondered what Hades meant with that comment. All of the members of the Forsaken Fallen seemed to be dead-set on their beliefs. So who was the one who could be swayed?

Hades must have heard Raul's thoughts thanks to their link and glared at him, _'You're getting annoying. It's time for you to sleep. I have humans to destroy and Elders to subjugate.'_

Black coils wrapped themselves around Raul's mouth, making him scream but it was muffled. He pleaded with his eyes for Hades to stop this but Hades merely smirked and Raul yelled as a sphere of darkness surrounded him, voices reminding him that he was never going to be as great as Julia, that he was worth nothing as a human, among other taunts.

Raul wanted to cover his ears but, thanks to the chains, that wasn't possible. Instead, he closed his eyes, wishing that someone could help him escape this hell. He could feel them surrounding him, whispering those taunts that he knew were true. All his fears and doubts were being exploited and he hated it. He felt a tear run down his cheek.

' _Someone . . . help me . . .'_

' _No one will come.'_

' _Why would they need you?'_

' _Help me . . .'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

It had been a couple of minutes since Hecate had been defeated and they were still inside her chamber, Mathilda and Julia looking like they needed to rest. While they had been resting, Kenny had explained the plan of action to the dual-colored female. Julia looked absolutely livid once the plan had been explained to her, "I am not letting some stranger-."

"My name is Zeo, you know," The robot said in a monotone, looking bored.

"Whatever." Julia glared at him before turning to the others, "I'm not letting him fight Raul! _I_ should fight Hades and get Raul back!" She stood up on wobbling legs and made her way to the door, "I don't want him to get hurt!"

"Julia, you're too weak to fight!" Mathilda said, Claude helping her get to her feet. Pierce Hedgehog was still on the ground, the blade smoking because of the intensity of the attack. Kai still wondered where the small, timid girl had gotten that intense power, a power that reminded him too much of someone that had died not too long ago.

"I may be weak but I have to save Raul!" Julia announced, leaning on the doors before opening them, "He's my little brother, you know! It's my responsibility to help him when he's in trouble like this."

"Julia," Zeo walked towards her, ignoring the look the Spanish girl shot at him, "you have been possessed for weeks by Hecate. She was draining your power in order to keep the link between the two of you so there is no way you can defeat Hades in this state. Not to mention that you can't possibly form a bond with Thunder Pegasus at this moment, with your soul room in disarray."

Julia's grip on the door handle tightened, obviously angered. Kaori knew that Julia understood what Zeo was saying. Her bond with Arion was in a fritz as well, thanks to the weeks of Nemesis controlling her, and they'd have to take some time to reconnect.

Zeo placed his hand on her shoulder, "I'll get Raul back and send Hades back to his prison. You can count on that."

Julia smiled at Zeo, "Thanks. Don't you dare hurt my brother."

"Got it." Zeo said, raising his hands in the air before taking out his Cerberus blade. He walked through the doors before turning to everyone else and grinned, "Let's go save Raul, everyone."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Outside the Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

"I feel like shit." Zeus muttered as Oliver finished cleaning his wounds. He and Ming-Ming had moved the wounded beast to a clearing away from the castle where they could get water to clean the bloodied holy beast. They had ripped some of their clothes in order to stop the bleeding, as they had been lacking bandages.

While they had been cleaning Zeus's wounds, said holy beast had woken up, saying that Brooklyn said hello. Now, almost ten minutes after he woke up, they were finally done dressing him.

"You don't look like it, at least," Ming-Ming said, sitting down next to Zeus, "I'm worried about everyone. Are they okay?" She sighed. Maybe she shouldn't worry too much about them – they were competent bladers – but she had a sinking feeling that something was going to happen.

"They're fine," Oliver said, trying to reassure the blading pop-star, "Well, I would hope so." He also sat down next to Zeus but he placed a hand over Zeus's head, who gave out a whimper, "Who would have known that holy beasts get fevers too?"

"We're not so different." Zeus muttered, coughing a bit. When had the air gotten so stuffy? It was getting hard to breathe and he didn't know why that was. He seemed to be the only one affected by the new development, as Ming-Ming and Oliver had engaged in a new conversation.

They were outside and far away from the Forsaken Fallen. They couldn't be trying to hurt them from so far away, right? After all, they were too busy trying to fight the others. Wait . . . didn't _he_ control the air?

"I wonder about that, Zeus," Oliver and Ming-Ming both got up, immediately taking out their blades and launchers. Oliver hesitated when he saw who it was and Ming-Ming reacted in a similar manner. The one standing in front of them was none other than Shun.

"S-Shun?" Ming-Ming whispered, lowering her blade. The younger twin looked the same as he always had, except he had a gash on his right eye. He was dressed in the same clothes he had been wearing when he was captured and he looked almost as bad as Zeus. He smiled shakily before falling to his knees. Ming-Ming immediately caught him before he fell forward.

"How did you escape?" Oliver asked, walking to the two blunettes while Zeus felt the wind stirring. He frowned and looked at his surroundings as best as he could from his spot on the ground. This couldn't be Shun; he had seen the boy fall and become Ouranos's host before his eyes. So who was this boy? Was he a clever illusion made by Chaos? Or was he Ouranos?

"I pretended to be Ouranos and they all trusted me because of it." Shun answered before sitting upright, "We need to get out of here. Zeus needs to see a hospital, Oliver." He got to his feet, helping Ming-Ming do the same, "I think I can find a way to do so."

Oliver's narrowed eyes surprised Ming-Ming before the blade on the green-haired boy was pointed at the blunette. Shun took a step back, looking confused while Ming-Ming looked just as confused. Shun's expression was filled with hurt, "Oliver? What's wrong? Why are you pointing that thing at me?"

"You can't be Shun." Oliver said.

Shun looked at him with a very confused look before he looked around and glanced at Oliver once more, "We don't have time for this! We need to leave, guys. And fast, before they find out about my deceit. Or do you want to be caught by Chaos?"

"You're not fooling anyone," Oliver answered, "If this was the real Shun, he would have called me Oliver-kun, no matter how much I tell him to not call me that. Hikaru said that it's a habit he's trying to break from Shun but he's been failing. Not to mention that the real Shun would not want to leave here without Hikaru by his side, at least."

Ming-Ming backed away from 'Shun', realizing that Oliver had a point. She remembered that Shun had been injured on his side when he was captured and that wound was not present in his clothes.

Shun sighed, "You're right. I am not Shun Kuwashima. That boy hasn't existed for quite some time, you know." His entire appearance changed before he looked like the last time Zeus had seen him. He made his hair cover his scarred eye before turning to them, "I am Ouranos, holy beast of the sky."

"What do you want?" Ming-Ming asked, serious as the grave.

"I have some free time while the humans fight Hades and Gaea and decided to collect Venus and Unicolyon. I'd collect Zeus but Chaos would probably destroy his bit-chip and finish the job." Ouranos extended his hand out, "Hand them over."

"Never." Oliver glared while Ming-Ming did the same.

Ouranos pouted, "No wonder Tartarus said to not do it the easy way. Oh well." He closed his hand, forming a fist. The air around Ming-Ming and Oliver was now gone. They both gave out a gasp for breath, the blunette falling to her knees and dropping her blade as she gasped for air.

"Stop it." Zeus cried out, seeing how the two humans were struggling to find air, "You're killing them!"

"That's the point." Ouranos said while he waited for a couple of minutes as the two humans slowly suffocated. He frowned before opening his fist. The two bladers fell forward, gasping for the air they had been deprived of. Ouranos walked towards their blades and took out their chips, "Thank you for your service."

"N-No . . ." Ming-Ming croaked out, "S-stop . . ."

Ouranos tossed aside the blades and the wind hacked them to pieces, reminding Oliver of the way Bryan used to blade. The broken pieces fell to the ground before Ouranos vanished, leaving behind a half-dead holy beast and two tamers that had just lost their partners.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Ray stood in front of Hades's door and was about to open them when something from inside opened it. They all took a step back when they saw it was a ghoulish looking creature that screeched at them before scurrying to the side of its master, the one they had come to challenge.

Hades was wearing a black shirt and black pants with a white sash tied around his waist. He had a white scarf around his neck that provided more contrast against his dark clothes, something that actually reminded them of the yin-yang. He wore a golden bracelet on his left arm that contained a bit-chip. He had black-silver hair, the front of his hair being silver while the back being black. He looked so much like Raul that it hurt Julia more than she could admit.

"It's been a while." Hades said with a smirk, "I've been so bored here, you see." The creature gnashed its teeth together before Hades patted its head, "We've done nothing since that American boy showed up in our room." Before they could question him, Hades directed his gaze to the ground.

They all looked down and Max's breath was caught in his throat. On the ground was Michael's cap, which had splatters of blood on it. He fell to his knees before grabbing the hat, looking sad and horrified at the same time. Rick's hands formed a fist, ready to punch the living daylights out of Hades but he knew that he wasn't the one that was going to fight this bit-beast.

"First Emily, now you?" Max squeezed the hat, "Eddy, what has happened to you?"

"This got personal," Rick growled out before Zeo sent him a warning look. Hades only chuckled at the reactions he got from everyone before turning to Zeo, the two having a silent stand-off.

"Will you be fighting me, metal boy?" Hades asked, tilting his head to the side while his electric blue eyes flashed black before turning blue once more, "This will be fun. That means you won't cry out while you bleed. I wonder if you will bleed oil." The creature hissed and Tyson realized that it was laughing at what Hades had said. It's laugh didn't last long, as it became a glob of darkness that vanished, wrapping itself around Hades's wrist.

Zeo glared at Hades, taking out his beyblade and placing it in his launcher. Behind him, Kaori whispered in order for Hades not to hear her, "Don't let him get to you. He can see what you fear, desire and what makes you self-conscious. He unbalances his opponents before a battle to get the upper hand. He's an attack-based beyblade, same as Dragoon but doesn't pack the same amount power. He is fast but not so great in balance and has a very weak defense. I'm afraid I've never seen his true form so you're on your own on that."

"Got it." Zeo said with a nod before stepping forward, getting into a blading position. Hades reached into his sash and retrieved his indigo blade, his bit-chip glowed menacingly before he placed it in the blade and taking out a launcher, loading his blade on it.

"Here goes." Mariam thought aloud.

"Let it rip!" Zeo yelled as he and Hades launched their blades. As the two collided on the air, the scenery around him changed. Zeo looked confused as shadows surrounded the two, cutting him off from the others that had come to support him.

"Zeo!" They all yelled. They saw the shadows that had formed into a dark dome that contained only Zeo, Hades and their two blades. They could hear the blades clashing together occasionally but, other than that, they were in the literal dark.

"I'm fine!" He yelled before turning his attention to the match, where Cerberus was trying to hit Hades but, like Kaori had said, it was too fast for it to be caught. He glared at Hades, "What did you do?"

"What? Don't you like this, Zeo?" Hades said, the robotic-blader flinching because Hades had spoken using Raul's voice, "It's to spare you the humiliation of losing in front of so many of your friends. Besides, they're going to be occupied."

"With what?"

Outside the dark dome, Julia was just about to try to break her way into the barrier when a person materialized in front of them. Kai took a step back when he recognized said person, "Hikaru?"

The person imitated the sound of a buzzer, "Wrong!" The young male laughed before the ground trembled. Kaori and Julia both lost their balance while everyone else tried to not fall by balancing on the trembling ground. A male that looked identical to Shun appeared before pointing at them. They all went flying, making them scream. They crashed out of the room and the double doors slammed shut, locking them out.

"No!" Max screamed, standing and pounding on the door, "Let us in!"

Zeo turned his head in the direction of the screams, causing Hades to slam itself twice at Cerberus, much to Zeo's annoyance and pain. Hades tsked, "Eyes on me, robot. They're not the ones that have an appointment with death."

"And neither do I." Zeo responded. Cerberus dodged an attack before attacking Hades to the point where the blade was sent flying. Hades frowned before his blade landed on its tip, still spinning. That was annoying, as it seemed it'd take more than one hit to take down Hades.

"Flight of the Furies." Hades boomed, pointing his blade at Cerberus. A dark aura surrounded the indigo blade before it zoomed very quickly at Cerberus. Zeo didn't even blink before Hades himself stood right in front of him. He grinned, revealing sharp fangs. He tried to hit Zeo's chest with his sharpened nails but Zeo moved out of the way. However, that didn't spare him from getting his arm destroyed. As he yelled out in pain, Hades's blade had created massive scratches on Cerberus's attack ring.

"Ah," Hades said with a little sardonic smile, "so you _can_ feel pain."

Zeo grunted, holding what was left of his arm before glaring. He hadn't expected such a strong and painful attack. He felt as if his whole body had been attacked and he wondered with dread what would've happened if his chest had been attacked. He shivered, remembering Michael's bloodied cap.

"You're not holding back." Zeo spoke, continuing his assault on Hades.

Hades winked, "Of course not. I am not fighting for control like Nemesis was and I wasn't distracted like Hecate. When we're focused on our job, you'll see that we're pretty good at it."

"Damn. So were our other victories strokes of luck, rather than skill?" Zeo questioned. Hades shrugged and Zeo felt as if the universe was mocking them. If Nemesis hadn't been fighting with Kaori to gain control, would she have defeated Mariah and Hilary easily? If Hecate hadn't been distracted, would she have crushed Emily and Mathilda?

"Look who's distracted now." Hades spoke and Zeo froze, the holy beast standing behind him. Hades chuckled as his blade got on top of Cerberus, "Salvation of Styx." Zeo screamed as Hades stabbed him through his stomach, feeling something enter his body before Hades vanished, appearing in his side of the field.

Cerberus looked just as badly beaten up, his attack ring now gone. Zeo felt so tired and disgusted as he felt something stirring inside of him. He gave out a cry, "What did you do?"

"Giving you salvation, of course." Hades said with a laugh, "I placed some of my darkness inside you. Once it reaches your main circuits, you're going down, I'm afraid." He laughed, as if Zeo dying was something amusing to speak of, "How long will you last?"

"Cerberus!" Zeo answered, his bit-beast jumping out of its bit-chip with a growl. Hades just smiled, as if he didn't find him a threat. Zeo would have to change his mentality on that.

"Cerberus, Chain Storm!"

"Too easy and predictable, Zeo," Hades said before his eyes turned black, "Persephone's Garden." A tower of darkness shot out of Hades's blade, making Zeo stumble back as a large black ram appeared. Its eyes were electric-blue, meaning this was Hades's true form. It cried out, white asphodels coming out of its mouth and surrounded Cerberus, making it stop the Chain Storm.

"Damn." Zeo thought before he felt _them_ cry out in his pocket. He glanced down and reached into his pocket, "I thought I had left you all behind."

"What are you babbling about over there?" Hades asked before Zeo looked up, taking out the four bit-chips that had been in his pocket. Hades tensed and hissed, "The not-holy beasts."

"The term is Cyber Bit-Beasts," Zeo responded, "Humans can't handle their power but it's a good thing I'm not human, don't you think?" His turquoise hair began to float, his eyes glowing while Hades saw the power of the four engineered spirits, freezing in shock.

"Time for a kamikaze attack, alright?" Zeo grinned, "Cyber Dragoon, Cyber Dranzer, Cyber Driger, Cyber Draciel, Cerberus, Hydra Hurricane!" All of the bit-beasts appeared behind Cerberus before attacking Hades, who gave out a cry of surprise before launching his own attack, an attack lost to the winds Zeo had unleashed.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Move on, humans." Tyson and everyone else turned around to see the twins floating above them, holding hands and looking as menacing as they had moments ago, when they had gotten them out of Hades's room.

"Why do we have to do that?" Kai asked.

The twin that was Hikaru answered, "Because Chaos is getting bored of just watching you chess pieces do nothing but watch the matches. Get a move on, will you? Or do you not have faith in your friend?"

That left them all in silence before Julia started walking up the stairs. She glared up at the twin members of the Forsaken Fallen, "For the record, I'm not doing this because you told us to! I'm doing it because I know Zeo is going to defeat Hades and get Raul back."

"Don't get your hopes up." 'Shun' said, looking at her with emotionless eyes. The same eyes that Julia remembered were filled with joy, hope and other positive and bright emotions. She looked away, knowing that Shun would be back.

"Let's get a move on!" Julia yelled back as she climbed up the stairs. Once the twins were gone, they all had no choice but to follow.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

' _Zeo.'_ Zeo opened his eyes to see Raul sitting next to him while they were in a hall of mirrors one would see in a circus or carnival. He sat up, seeing darkness leave the halls. He frowned in confusion before Raul laughed, _'You broke my prison door. Hades wasn't pleased.'_

' _I won?'_

' _Not yet, to be honest with you.'_ Raul answered before helping Zeo stand up, _'I want you to know what caused Hades to be so insane, as insane as Chaos.'_

' _You know why?'_ Zeo asked, Raul leading him through the hall of mirrors. He saw images forming, making his attention turn to them. Raul nodded before the image in the mirror formed three figures, one of them being Hades.

' _Hades was created by the 9_ _th_ _, 10_ _th_ _and 15_ _th_ _Elders along with Zeus and Poseidon, making them brothers but not twins like Erebus and Night and Ouranos and Tartarus. He thought himself inferior to them and developed a complex,'_ Zeus and Poseidon left and, in their place, was a beautiful girl that was covered in flowers, _'The one that helped him with that complex was a holy beast known as Persephone. She, along with Hecate and Nemesis, accepted him and he was happy.'_

The mirror cracked while Raul turned sullen, _'Then Erebus killed Sasha and everything changed. Persephone disappeared and Hecate wanted to join a war to kill Erebus and his subordinates of Eden's Rapture. Hades was at a loss and tried to find Persephone.'_ Raul looked down, _'Imagine how crushed he felt when he saw that she was the second in command of Eden's Rapture and had fallen for Erebus.'_

Zeo said nothing while the images showed a battlefield. Raul looked up, still looking sad, _'So he joined the Forsaken Fallen in order to kill Persephone, stopping her from causing more harm. He succeeded,'_ The image in the mirror was of Hades stabbing the flower girl with the same technique that had destroyed Zeo's arm, _'The last thing Persephone said was that she had always loved Erebus.'_

' _He was played?'_

' _Yes. He couldn't trust anyone anymore, wandering in his own mind while seeking for answers. Finally, he came to a conclusion: Persephone had been tampered with by humans. They had caused his Persephone to lose herself. He hated the humans, cursing them even though they had done nothing wrong._

' _He saw that the world hadn't changed with the death of his friends and realized that the world could only change to a world worth living in if extreme measures were taken change it._

' _In the end, Zeus and Poseidon tricked him and Hecate into going to a river where Poseidon kept them from leaving_ _while the four sacred spirits sealed them away. You can imagine what that did to him.'_

Zeo nodded before Raul touched the shattered mirror, _'I pity him. And Hecate, Nemesis and the other members of the Forsaken Fallen.'_

' _Why?'_ Zeo asked.

Raul turned to him and gave him a sad smile, _'Because they haven't been able to properly see this beautiful world.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

The battlefield was no longer covered in the darkness Hades had created to disorientate Zeo and Cerberus. The two bladers were sprawled on the ground, their wobbling blades spinning right next to them. They were both panting, looking tired and melancholic.

"You're crazy." Hades muttered.

"I'm a genius." Zeo answered before trying to lift his head, "I'm sorry about Persephone, Hades."

"You don't need to apologize about it." Hades laughed, looking up at the sky, "So long as I keep the memory of my Persephone, not his, I can continue. However, it seems those memories are slipping away." He blinked his eyes, as if it was a chore to do so.

"It's better that way." Zeo replied, coughing as he opened his hand, releasing the four bit-chips of the cyber bit-beasts.

"Maybe."

There was silence, the spinning of their wobbling blades being the only sound they heard. "What are we calling this?" Zeo mumbled, closing his eyes as his blade stopped moving. As the darkness swallowed Zeo up, taking him to Chaos's chamber where the others could rescue him, Hades chuckled, wanting to do nothing but wipe the blood from the side of his mouth.

"My victory." He answered before his blade stopped and fell apart, leaving behind only the bit-chip. Hades closed his eyes, whispering so softly that no one could've heard him if they had tried to listen to his voice, "I wouldn't mind . . . falling asleep, though. I want to see you again but I'm so very tired." Hades abandoned Raul's body in the destroyed room, going back to the bit-chip where he could sleep peacefully.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Chaos's Chamber, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Chaos looked at the chessboard, where two chess pieces – one white pawn and one black rook were facing each other off. He closed his eyes and knocked both of them down, "We could've done great things, Hades, if I had listened to you before. I'm sorry, old friend. But it seems that it's over."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: This was meant to be dark so I hope that happened. I hadn't meant to include Hades's background or put Ouranos and Tartarus but they wanted screen time. Not to mention Zeus, Oliver and Ming-Ming hate being ignored.**

 **Night: They are demanding. We are as well so please review this chapter. The Gaea chapter will be posted shortly. We will see you there.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Underdog**

 **Song: Underdog by MUDD**

 **Preview: After defeating(?) Hades, the team makes it's way to battle against Gaea, who is controlling Nami. Why is she telling Max to leave? Who is the one helping them on the enemy's side? And why in the world are so many bit-chips in Raul's hands?**


	23. Chapter 22: Underdog

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade (that would make a great birthday present, though), only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To me, I guess. I made it to 17! I'm older than Kai now!**

 **Anime: Told you that I'd be back again. *passes out***

 **Erebus: Great. *gets an index card* Welcome to Chapter 22 of MIAB, my lovely readers, otherwise known as the Gaea chapter.**

 **Night: There will be many character interactions in this chapter.**

 **Sasha: I'm confused . . . *passes out***

 **Erebus: *cheers* She's gone!**

 **Night: *glares at Erebus* To the chapter, everyone.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **22: Underdog**

 _Hades's Room, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

"The thrush has found its ruined nest," A voice sang, walking among the destroyed room, "Its pitiful cry pierces the night. Oh, little thrush, what will you do to make this right?" The voice hummed, crossing a part of the room that had blood stains on the floor. The small, pale feet didn't make a lot of noise as it walked through the blood, although the bottom part of their feet was now red thanks to the blood.

"The poor thrush wants to seek revenge, fall down. It will not rest, fall down, until it finds the one that destroyed its nest." The song was cut off as the person reached an unconscious male that was surrounded by debris that had, by a miracle, not fallen on top of him.

"Fall down, fall down, vengeful thrush," The person continued to sing, grabbing the bit-chip that rested next to the unconscious male and holding it for a while in the small, pale fingers, "your wings will be dipped in red, your foes filled with dread. Oh, little thrush, what will you do to make this right?" The person placed two other bit-chips on the hands of the boy, along with the one they had picked.

The person left the room, humming softly before stopping in front of the double doors. They turned, a forlorn smile appearing in their face before looking forward and leaving the room. Before leaving, though, the final verse echoed throughout the silent room:

"Oh little thrush, why are you crying now? Didn't you know that blood is heavy?"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

"Will Zeo be okay?" Julia wondered, Kai, Tyson, Ray and Max staying silent while the others wondered the same question. They had all felt the presence of both Cerberus and Hades disappearing, although Cerberus had disappeared before Hades had. That worried them a lot. Was it considered a draw or was it a win for Hades? Max kept looking behind his shoulder, hoping to see Zeo and Raul running up to join them but they never appeared.

What had they missed when they had been forced to leave the room? How had the battle between Zeo and Hades end? How was the battle? Was Zeo okay? Or was he gone? They had too many questions and not enough answers.

"He'll be fine. Zeo's a pretty good blader," Daichi acknowledged before they stopped in the stairwell, seeing that Kaori was glancing outside to one of the windows. He frowned, "What's up, Kaori?"

Kaori pointed to a window, her gaze calculating and eyes filled with questions, "I thought I saw something outside. Call me crazy for that but it looked like Nami." None of them called her crazy, especially when they knew that Nami was here but was not herself.

"It must have been Gaea." Garland told her, before also glancing at the window Kaori mentioned. He could see that daybreak was approaching and was confused until he remembered that time went faster in this dimension. They had been here for a day and it didn't even feel like it.

"We're going up against Gaea, right?" Steven asked as they continued their ascent, Julia now being supported by Steven as she had not regained her strength yet. Kaori was faring better, already six steps ahead of her.

"Yeah. The holy beast of the earth and the one that is currently possessing Nami." Tyson informed them, looking serious and unlike the fun-loving champion they knew, "We all have the game plan, right?" Everyone nodded and Tyson grinned, "Nemesis, Hecate and Hades are down. When we beat Gaea, that'll just leave seven left of the Forsaken Fallen!"

"We can do this." Max said.

Kai felt Dranzer tremble in his pocket and looked around the stairwell and could not see where Dark Dranzer was hiding. He was close, though, and could feel Dark Dranzer's presence. He eventually gave up trying to find him but he kept his guard up as he continued climbing the stairs.

Above them, resting on the chandelier that they paid no mind to, Dark Dranzer watched them impassively. He felt Rin trying to scream for them but he overpowered him, not allowing him to gain control. He created a fireball in his hands, "Gaea, huh? They might have an easy victory."

"Have faith in her, Dark Dranzer." Dark Dragoon said, glancing down. He laid his head on Dark Dranzer's lap, making said beast growl. He ignored the growl and yawned, closing his eyes, "You are terrible for the team's morale."

"Says the one that wanted to bond over genocide," Dark Dranzer said with an eye roll. He didn't move Dark Dragoon off his lap, instead gazing down at their competition before sighing, "Tyson will be hard for you to beat."

"My sentiments exactly." Dark Dragoon said, opening one of his eyes, "Besides, I won't battle him." With that last statement, he yawned again and closed his open eye.

"What?" Dark Dranzer asked. When he was ignored, he smacked Dark Dragoon on the forehead, making him hiss in pain, "I thought you wanted revenge against Dragoon?"

"Nah. It'll be too boring because I know all of Dragoon's moves, you know." Dark Dragoon responded, shrugging his shoulders before he stopped moving. He didn't want to be burned to a crisp if he managed to set Dark Dranzer off, "The white king should battle the black king, you know?"

Dark Dranzer said nothing, knowing what the other was implying, "Then who do you want to fight?"

Dark Dragoon opened his eyes which were glowing with dark intentions, "I wouldn't mind taking down the one who looks like Daisuke and his imitation holy beast that looks like me. I don't like him, even if Gaea created Strata Dragoon." He looked angry and Dark Dranzer understood the sentiment, having an argument with Hades when he had created Black Dranzer – a cheap knock-off me, he'd said.

"Fine. Won't be as much fun," He assured his friend.

"Oh, it will be." He grinned, his eyes reflecting his inner madness and Dark Dranzer found that he wasn't as scary this way. He was scarier when he was happy and playful. "I'll get to see his descendant in pain, the same pain we went through, and I'll destroy the imitation me. Why do you think it won't be fun?" He asked, chuckling while he watched the small group enter Gaea's hall.

"To each his own, I suppose. But I'll be the one to take down Dranzer and Kai."

"Is that your mindset, or Rin's?" Dark Dragoon asked, making Dark Dranzer grimace. That caused the dragon beast raise an eyebrow, "Don't tell me that's one of your reasons."

"Rin is asleep but I saw his memories. He wants to challenge Kai and beat him. He wants to be better," Dark Dranzer's eyes were fiery-red, moving in a fire-like manner, "I want the same thing, except in different context, of course." He winked before switching the conversation to Dark Dragoon, "What about Hiro's mindset?"

"Treat this all like a test," He answered with a yawn, "That guy just wants Tyson to be strong. Geez, he's got a brother-complex."

"Hello pot, my name is kettle, you're black," Dark Dranzer answered.

"You suck." Dark Dragoon muttered, sitting up and standing as far from Dark Dranzer as possible.

The dark phoenix stretched and then unfurled his wings, yawning, "Let's go back to Chaos and report. Do you think he'd like it if he found out there were so many people still alive?"

"Let's find out."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Raul woke up covered in dust from debris and was very confused for a moment. The last thing he remembered was telling Zeo the story of Hades before everything had gotten dark. He felt Hades leave his body but he had decided to rest in order to wake up with some strength.

He sat up and looked around, "Z-Zeo?" He coughed, his throat sore for some strange reason. He felt a pressure on his hand and opened it to see Hades, Venus and Unicolyon's bit-chips. Now he was really confused. How had he gotten them, when he had been sleeping? Something strange was going on.

"Can't worry about that now," Raul said before he struggled to stand up. He grunted before getting to his feet, "I need to find the others, Torch Pegasus and Zeo. Before Chaos finds out that Hades lost." He headed to the door, not seeing the golden-yellow eyes that followed him out of the room.

"Too late, Raul," Dark Driger thought, curling his smile to show his fangs.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

"This isn't a good idea, Ming-Ming," Oliver noted as the blue-haired popstar walked up the stairs. The two had been utterly devastated when Ouranos had taken their bit-beasts so easily from them but the popstar had decided to march into the castle and get them back. Oliver was even carrying Zeus on his back, much to his discomfort as he wasn't that strong.

"If Venus and Unicolyon are in their hands, do you know what they could do with them?" She asked, stumbling a bit. She looked down and gave out a cry of surprise and horror, running back down to hide behind Oliver, "I-Is that a skull?!"

"This place must have been connected with their previous hideout," Zeus noted, staring at the small skull on the stairwell, "From what I had gathered, several children died in the company of the Forsaken Fallen, the only known survivors being Tyson, Hiro, Kaori, Raul, Julia, Ann, Rin, Riku, Nami, Hikaru, Shun and Aya. The corpses of hundreds of missing children were never recovered."

A shiver ran down Oliver's spine, "You're telling me that . . ."

"This place is not just a castle; it's a graveyard."

Ming-Ming covered her mouth, feeling sick to her stomach at the thought of them having been walking in a garden of corpses. Oliver knew how she felt, feeling just as horrified. She looked down, "They're sick. They're twisted."

"It's not easy getting tamers when yours are dead," Zeus answered, resting his head on Oliver's shoulder and closing his eyes, "That's the case for Nemesis, Hecate, Hades, Chaos, Dark Dranzer and Dark Dragoon."

"Why did you mention only them?" Oliver asked as they began to move, Ming-Ming picking up the child skull and cradling close to her chest, looking like she was ready to cry.

"Because everyone has their proper tamer."

"Why didn't you mention this sooner?"

Zeus glared, "Gee, I wonder what I was doing? Oh yeah, I was dying, bleeding out thanks to all the wounds they gave me." He huffed, scowling, "That leads us to have an advantage and a disadvantage."

"Please elaborate on that." The green-haired French asked, finally reaching the second floor.

"If they are bonded to their proper tamers, that makes them stronger than those that do not have a bond with their tamers. That's our disadvantage, one that we can turn in our favor."

"In what regard?" Ming-Ming asked.

"If it's a perfect synchronization, then that means that the controlled tamers can influence their beast."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

' _This has to stop,'_ Gaea turned around to see Nami standing defiantly behind her, glaring at her. There were wisps of light in her hand, illuminating the soul room that had darkened when she and Gaea had joined together. The earth-spirit wondered if the others were having this problem too.

' _Why should I? Don't you humans believe in 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?'_ Gaea asked in a condescending tone, looking at Nami with some disgust, _'Why can I not show you humans that your actions have consequences? It's a shame that you are a human yourself, my dear Nami.'_

' _I'm not your dear, Gaea,'_ Nami yelled, pointing at the beast with an accusing finger, _'I hate you so much! You've made me do such horrible things! I hurt Zeus. And I hurt Eddy. I can't take this anymore! Go away!'_

' _You're still just a child, Nami,'_ Gaea sighed, _'over time, you will forget about hurting these people. They'll be such an annoyance to you that you won't feel bad for hurting them.'_

' _I'm not a monster that enjoys hurting other people!'_ Nami cried out, taking a step back, _'I admit that humans are corrupted but not all of humanity!'_

' _Lies,'_ Gaea glared, making Nami give out a small gasp as Gaea looked scary as she glared at her, _'Humans are destroying this world. They're destroying my world!'_

' _Your world? What do you mean?'_ Nami asked, seeing hurt in Gaea's eyes when she had spoken.

Gaea looked at her hands that were dark as if she was covered in grime, amongst other things, _'They damage the earth every day. They cut down my trees, they pollute my waters, they pollute my air and they pollute this world. In my seal, I had to feel the same pain the earth felt while the humans lived in it. The atomic bomb, industrialization, nuclear plants, oil spills hurt me. That is my curse. I am the Earth. Shouldn't I have a say in who I allow to live in my world?'_

Nami was silent before speaking once more, _'Wait, you're still only seeing the negative things a few people have done. What do you think ecologists are trying to do? They want to fix this earth.'_

' _They're working for their own benefit, of course. I've seen it before.'_ Gaea's eyes swirled with so much hate towards the humans that it prevented Nami from speaking more. Gaea closed her eyes, _'Oh, more humans have fallen into my web, it seems.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Gaea, come out!" Mariam yelled, Rick standing beside her. Kenny had decided that Mariam and Rick could be a very good duo when they fought against the earth-spirit. They had gotten the details of Gaea's blade straight from Kaori, who had shown her amazing talent in identifying a beyblade's stats.

According to Kaori, Gaea was a defense-type blade that contained an extremely light attack ring that made her faster than your average blade. Her true form was never shown and she was great in all aspects except in her attack. This was going to be a big advantage that they were willing to exploit.

"Gaea! Show yourself already! It's time to battle!" Mariam yelled, her voice echoing in the dark room.

"You weren't waiting long for me, right?" They all looked down to see Gaea appear, this being the first time they could see the earth-beast member of the Forsaken Fallen that had possessed Nami.

Gaea had long dark green hair that was floating all around her as if she was underwater and brown eyes that reminded them of fresh and fertile soil. She was wearing a velvet green dress and a black cloak that seemed to be floating a little. She also had a silver bracelet around her right wrist that contained her bit-chip. In her left hand, she held her launcher and her blade.

"Welcome, humans," She curtsied before pointing at Max, ignoring everyone else, "You, the tamer of Draciel, a certain someone wants an audience with you."

"A certain . . . what?" Max blinked, glancing at everyone with a confused look before pointing at himself, "Me? You sure."

"I didn't stutter, Draciel's tamer," Gaea answered, "Dark Draciel wants to speak to you now." She turned around and snapped her fingers. A black portal appeared and she turned back around to face Max, "It'd be best if you did not keep her waiting. You've already made her wait for a thousand centuries."

Max looked at everyone once more before a serious look crossed his face. He patted Rick's arm, "I'm counting on you to beat Gaea and wake up Nami." He shot a thumbs up to Mariam and grinned, "Make sure Rick does this, alright?"

"Hey, what does that mean, Max?" Rick asked.

"I'll keep him in line." Mariam said, waving Max off. The blonde blader walked forward until he was in front of Gaea, seeing into her deep eyes that reminded him a lot of the terrible forces of nature.

"Nami . . . be strong." Max whispered.

"I will be." Gaea replied back, shocking Max as that had been Nami speaking. Gaea coughed before glaring at Max, "What are you waiting for? You're taking too long, you know."

Max smiled, "So she's still there." That meant that there was a bigger chance of Nami breaking free the way Kaori had. That gave him a lot of hope.

"Leave already." Max, with a small smile that was filled with relief, entered the black portal and he vanished, making everyone turn their gaze back on Gaea. Gaea, on the other hand, was only focusing on Mariam and Rick.

"So you're my challengers. Is that correct?" Gaea took out the bit-chip from her bracelet and placed it in her blade, "Then it is an honor for all of us to do battle. I am Gaea, holy beast of the Earth and I'll gladly accept your challenge. Just know that I am not a big fan of blood so there won't be a lot of that."

"She's different from the others," Mariam pointed out to Rick as the two loaded their blades into their launchers, Gaea doing the same.

"What do you mean?"

Mariam stared at Gaea, "She's acting like this is a duel: a battle where either side could win. In other words, she's saying we have a fifty percent chance of either winning or losing. On the other hand, Nemesis, Hecate and Hades always told us that we had no chance of winning."

"She's just saying these things to make you lose your concentration," Rick answered, Mariam frowning. He shrugged, "I mean, why else would she be in the Forsaken Fallen? You've seen their tactics before. Don't let them into your head." The three got into battle positions, Mariam still pondering over Gaea.

"Three, two, one! Let it rip!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _They are going to do battle with Erebus, Gaea." Ouranos informed the earth spirit as she was planting another willow tree, this one infused with her sadness and sorrow. She looked up from her task, seeing the serious gaze in the twin's face._

" _I do not care. If Chaos and Erebus will battle, that is none of our business." She replied, standing up and grabbing the small bundle of seeds the women from the village had given to her while Strata Dragoon, her companion, continued to plant more trees._

" _Gaea, have you no care for the humans?" Ouranos asked, following her as she kneeled down and began to dig, ignoring him. He turned to Strata Dragoon, who shrugged as if to say he had no idea how to handle her either._

" _What about us? Do you care for us?"_

" _The only things I care for are the Elders, Strata Dragoon and this planet. The actions of others like Erebus and Chaos are not of any importance to me." She answered, pulling her hair back to gaze at the small seed with love before planting it on the ground, "Why do you ask me these things you know about already?"_

" _If Erebus and Chaos, in their war, destroyed this Earth, would you care then?"_

 _She paused in her work, as if she had never thought about that until now. She looked up, "You have my attention."_

" _Chaos is angry at Erebus. Even Night cannot stop his rampage when, before, he could have spoken his name and that was enough to placate him. If he continues this way, then it is only a matter of time before he starts destroying everything that gets in his way, including the wildlife."_

" _Do you want me to kill Chaos or join him?" She growled, Ouranos raising his hands to appease her._

" _All I am saying is that he needs someone to remind him and Eden's Rapture that this world is still beautiful and should not be destroyed." Ouranos sat down next to Gaea, looking pensive, "I would not mind if humans were destroyed but not all of them. I want to stop Erebus from being so foolish. He wants this whole world dead, Gaea. I cannot let him do that. We cannot let him do that." He turned to her, his eyes unreadable, "Will you help us stop him?"_

 _Gaea nodded._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

The three blades looked like they were dancing as they dodged attacks and attempted to land attacks. Gaea's blade was delicate and graceful as that happened, as if she was a falling cherry blossom.

"Kaori wasn't kidding when she said that she was fast," Mariam told Rick as they once again missed Gaea, much to the girl's anger. It was tiring her out and she hadn't even managed to hit Gaea. Rick, on the other hand, had managed to land at least ten hits while Gaea had hit each of their blades at least twenty-five times.

"You can do it!" Kaori encouraged them.

"Sharkrash isn't fast enough," Julia muttered, her grip on her dress deadly. Tyson saw the same thing and gazed at Gaea, who looked just as calm as he did in the battlefield. He glanced around and then noticed Gaea's blade was forming something as it made its makeshift dance. The radical movements of Gaea were not that; they were calculated. What was she planning?

"Too bad." Gaea noted before her blade began to spin faster and rushed to Rock Bison, "Noble Earthmaker."

"Rick, look out!" Mariam yelled as Sharkrash intercepted Gaea's attack. Gaea's blade glowed and, the next thing everyone knew, Sharkrash and Mariam went out flying, the girl screaming before she landed on the ground. Sharkrash landed on the ground, wobbling slightly.

"Mariam!" Rick yelled, kneeling down to help the girl on to her feet. He paused when he saw that some of Mariam's leg was stone, the same being said for some of Sharkrash's attack ring, "What was that?"

"I decided to make her part-rock, so she can become something useful if she loses," Gaea answered with a smile, "How else can I use her, after all?"

"You're insane." Mariam responded, getting up but hating the fact that her right leg was now useless.

"That's all humans are good for, you know." Gaea answered. Rick did not seem to take to that idea kindly as Rock Bison barreled its way through the battlefield and delivered a good hit on Gaea, who gave out a cry of pain and surprise.

"You members of the Forsaken Fallen need a wakeup call," Rick answered before pointing at Gaea, "If you can't see that humans aren't just good for fertilizer for the ground, then you have issues."

"Excuse me?!" Gaea asked, flustered, "I have issues?!"

"You heard me loud and clear, mudbrain." Rick answered while Gaea ignored the giggles from Nami that were distracting her from her anger, "The battlefield is no place for issues like that! So get your head out of your problems and battle or I will crush you."

"You got some nerve!" Gaea yelled, "Splendid Earthriser!" A white light from her bit-chip appeared and a large dark brown scorpion appeared, looking as pissed off as Gaea did.

"Rick, this is a good time to apologize." Mariam noted.

"Nonsense," Rick grinned while Gaea's blade began to spin really quickly, dirt gathering around it and creating a familiar looking storm that Tyson remembered Daichi had used on him the first time they battled. Rick pointed at the tornado, "Rock Bison, Wind Wrecker!" His bit-beast shot out of his blade and yelled out its battle cry before rushing towards Gaea's cyclone.

"Won't be that easy." Gaea responded before Rock Bison was caught by the heavy winds, "My storms are deadlier than Strata Dragoon's. Strata Dragoon learned from me, after all." She pushed her hair back, as it kept getting in her face before smiling, "Reverse Earthriser." The winds stopped for a moment before it started spinning the other way, as if it was some sort of carnival ride.

"Rock Bison!"

"Rick, I got it!" Mariam yelled, her voice almost lost to the howling winds that were picking up, "I'm going to need Rock Bison's help in this, alright?" At Rick's nod, Mariam gave out a yell, "Sharkrash!" The partner of the blunette girl shot out of its blade before she pointed at the spinning Rock Bison, "Hop on it!"

"Are you insane?!" Rick yelled.

"She's gone mad." Gaea thought as Sharkrash let itself be carried by the dust storm, "I told you that humans are insane, Nami." Her eyes widened as she stopped speaking as she saw Sharkrash jumped on top of Rock Bison, that threw it high into the air.

"That's not good for me." She thought with a groan. She had never liked blades that were in the sky.

"Sharkrash, Meteor Volley!" Mariam yelled, her hair turning green for a moment as she and Sharkrash joined together within their soulroom and fell inside the vortex, where Gaea had been left out in the open, surrounded by stones all around her except from above. Sharkrash and Mariam both yelled and Tyson felt that pull again as Gaea's wind stopped.

"What-?!" Gaea frowned, "Earthshaker-."

"Rock Bison, Pillar Drop!" Rick yelled, his beast giving out a battlecry as the blade began to fall. Both blades were filled with light, much to Gaea's surprise as she was hit by both blades, her attack not able to form.

"Not like Strata Dragoon, huh?" Tyson thought aloud before smiling, "You lost just like he did, almost a year ago."

The two light-covered blades shattered Gaea's blade, leaving behind the bit-chip. Gaea screamed in pain just like her true form before it returned to the bit-chip. Gaea wobbled in place, "How did I lose? I tried to-. Forgive me for my sins, please," She fell forward, her hand reaching out for the shattered pieces of her blade.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _Strata Dragoon, why am I here? We are supposed to be getting ready for the next harvest." Gaea asked, pushing her long hair back before seeing Daisuke appear before her best friend, who stared at her in sadness. She frowned, "Daisuke? What are you doing here?"_

" _I am sorry, Gaea," Her best friend said, closing his eyes and turning away. She was about to question him when she felt the earth underneath her start dragging her down. She yelled, looking around wildly as Dragoon, Driger, Draciel and Dranzer appeared before her._

" _What are you doing?"_

" _We cannot allow you or any of the members of the Forsaken Fallen to be free, Gaea. We are sorry." Dragoon said, sounding sincere as he and the others began to seal her away. She fought against the ground that restrained her, feeling weak and terrified._

" _Why? Why? Why?!" She cried out before meeting eyes with Strata Dragoon. She reached out for him, the only familiar face in her eyes, "Help me. Please help me." She reached out as far as she could before he adverted his gaze from her pitiful figure. Her sight became blurry as she continued to reach for him, "Help. Do not forsake me. Please help me. Help me. Do not abandon me. Gaia Dragoon, help me."_

" _That is not my name anymore." He whispered, turning around so she could look at his indifferent visage, "Goodbye, Gaea."_

" _If you will not help me, then forgive me for whatever it was I did to hurt you." She cried out, "Forgive me. Please, forgive me. Say that I am forgiven. Say it. Please. Please." Her vision began to darken as she continued to reach out for someone that was going to be out of her reach, "Say you forgive me. That is my only wish." Those were the last words Gaea spoke, the only words that people would remember of her._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Mariam's leg had turned back to human flesh once more and the stone in Sharkrash's blade disappeared. As Sharkrash and Rock Bison vanished into their blades, something black came out of Gaea until her dark green hair was now a familiar shade of navy-blue.

"Nami!" Kenny yelled while Ray and Tyson ran forward, Kai checking to see if Rick and Mariam had any injuries. Just like Gaea had said, there wasn't a scratch on them so it looked like they had just run a marathon, not battled an ancient spirit.

"Nami?" Tyson shook the girl before familiar-looking eyes opened, turning to him moments later. He smiled when he looked down at her, "It's good to see you again, Nami."

"Tyson?" Nami whispered before she wrapped her arms around Tyson's shoulders and began to sob, Tyson doing nothing but patting her back. Nami sniffed, "Gaea, I forgive you. Gaea, I'm so sorry. I forgive you."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Erebus: *still reading cue card* Sorry for the decline in the battle intensity. I have no idea what I'm doing most of the time. Well, she's right about that.**

 **Night: Erebus, it's her birthday.**

 **Erebus: Whatever. Review and we'll be back soon. Later.**

 **Night: Until next time!**

 ****Yes. I ship Dark Dranzer and Dark Dragoon. I do not ship Rin and Hiro, though.****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Rise Above the Storm**

 **Song: Rise Above the Storm by Daniel LeBlanc and Creighton Doane**

 **Preview: After getting through Gaea, our heroes are now ready to battle Ouranos, the sky holy beast that is controlling Shun. Wait, where did Dark Driger come from? Where did Oliver go? And what does Ouranos mean with 'choosing his path in the darkness?'**


	24. Chapter 23: Rise Above The Storm

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To KinomiyaHiwatari. Have a very happy birthday!**

 **Night: Anime is still asleep. So it is my job to welcome you all into the newest chapter of MIAB.**

 **Erebus: We're already in the final chapters of this story. We only have about eight more chapters to go. Crazy.**

 **Night: Thank you for reading the September Surge chapters of MIAB. The next update will be in October so you will wait a while for the next update. We apologize for that.**

 **Erebus: Yeah, yeah. We're sorry and whatever. Now, to the chapter!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **23: Rise Above the Storm**

 _Chaos's Chamber Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

"So, that's your choice?" Chaos asked, knocking down a black chess piece and placing the two white chess pieces back in line with the others. Dark Dranzer was sitting down across from him, making modifications on his blade while ignoring the two beasts that were currently talking.

"You're not mad at me?"

Chaos shook his head, smiling gently in a manner that spooked Dark Dranzer, "I thought I would be. I guess I surprise myself, you know?" He sighed, grabbing the black king, "If you believe this to be your path as a member of the Forsaken Fallen, then so be it. As long as you still believe in our principles, then why should I mind?"

"I just thought . . ."

"I know, I know," Chaos chuckled, putting the black king in front of a white chess piece that was a king as well. The king was in between the chessboard, leaning towards the white knight and the black queen more than anything, "Well, don't be afraid of doing what you want to do, old friend. I know you'll take the right course of action."

"Besides, you're always going to be one of us." Dark Dranzer said, yawning and stretching for a moment before grinning, wrapping his arms around Chaos's neck, making him raise an eyebrow, "That's still a given, right, Ouranos?"

Ouranos nodded, smiling softly, "Of course."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Nami lead them to the next room, her bare feet making no noise in comparison to their loud steps. She kept swaying, as if she was going to fall at any moment, but she was persistent as she refused help from the others.

"So, Ouranos is next." Garland spoke.

Nami nodded, her eyes serious, "Yes. The holy beast of the sky who possesses Shun." She stopped walking, staring ahead, "The one who motivated Gaea and Tartarus to join the Forsaken Fallen. He is a gentle beast so why does he want to do this? I don't understand that."

"Gentle?" Rick asked, as if that was something impossible. Then again, they had seen all the members of the Forsaken Fallen so far and none of them looked gentle. Hell, most of them were insane and liked to inflict pain. Hearing that Ouranos was gentle was like saying that Erebus had been a saint.

"Compared to the others, yes." Nami said, pointing at her head, "I had a perfect synchronization with Gaea so her memories and emotions are mine as well. In her memories, the only one that calmed people to stop an argument whenever Night was not around was him. I don't think he's that bad."

"He killed the members of Eden's Rapture and is possessing Shun against his will. He sounds as if he was a saint like Night, huh?" Johnny said in a sarcastic tone of voice, "Like you said, you have Gaea's memories and emotions and that's clouding your judgement on him."

"Maybe. But I won't deny that he was a decent person. If he had the time, he would've changed Chaos's ways. But he was . . ." Nami stopped, as she looked up. Everyone followed her gaze to see someone sitting down on the wall, looking rather odd. She took a hesitant step back, "You."

"Enlighten them on what happened to me, Nami-chan." Nami trembled a bit as Ouranos had sounded exactly like the Shun she knew and that hurt. Mariam placed a hand on Nami's shoulder to reassure her before glaring up at the stranger that had appeared to them.

Ouranos had snow-white hair and sky-blue eyes, his hair hiding his right eye. He was wearing a white kimono that was stained with blood at the bottom, along with his bare feet – what was with the Forsaken Fallen and their grudges with shoes and furniture, Tyson wondered – and no one wanted to ask who the blood belonged to. He floated down, still staring at them with unreadable eyes.

"Tell them what they did to me and my brother." Ouranos smiled, "Or are you disgusted and appalled at how brutal the sacred spirits were to us when they sealed us away?"

"Nami, what does he mean?" Tyson questioned, the younger girl looking terrified as she stared at Ouranos. Her legs buckled and she fell to her knees, Mariam kneeling down and asking her what was wrong.

"Ouranos and Tartarus were talking in the woods over Chaos's ideals," Nami spoke, her voice wavering, "Ouranos wanted to keep the righteous people alive while Tartarus wanted all the humans dead. Dranzer, Dragoon, Driger and Draciel appear before them, ready to seal them away. They trick the twins into a meadow where Strata Dragoon, Apollyon, Venus, Poseidon and Griffolyon have laid a trap to seal them away. Ouranos is able to see the ruse and attempts to escape while they attempt to seal Tartarus away. So Driger-. So Driger-."

"Say it." Ouranos spoke, looking Ray right in the eye as he spoke, his only visible eye looking miserable, "Enlighten Ray-kun," Nami and Ray flinched at the way he made himself sound like Shun, "about what his beloved Driger did. Or do you want me to describe it in detail?"

' _Driger? What does he mean?'_

' _There are things I regret, Ray. This is a thing I wish I could take back.'_

When Nami did not continue, Ouranos continued for her, "So Driger cut off my arms. I couldn't even register the pain before he ripped off my legs, hacking me into tiny little pieces." Ray's blood ran cold while Ouranos spoke, "Just like what Dranzer did to the wings of his other half, Driger did to my body. The pain was so bad that I eventually went numb and went into shock. I couldn't even scream because it probably would have pained me more. I was torn into small pieces, the way it's described in Greek mythology, before my spirit was sealed away. It was a shame that I couldn't die then. It would have ended my suffering, you see. But the sacred spirits are so cruel, you know."

"Be quiet." Nami covered her ears, the images of that scene running through her mind while the others were completely horrified, not having expected this to have been done.

"In my prison, I continued to feel that pain. It was even worse because I was reminded that I would never have a physical body again. My entire imprisonment in the darkness was filled with constant pain to the point that I cannot feel it now," Ouranos said with a sigh, "Nothing hurts me. So when I was looking for my tamer, I picked out the children that I was sure would not buckle under the pain."

"You monster." Julia hissed.

"Rin, Shun, Tyson, Hikaru and Ann were the only children that were able to survive my test. The other twenty died of the pain." He said, almost as if that was not an important fact, "How boring, don't you think?"

"That's why Tyson never seemed to succumb to his wounds when he sustained major ones," Kai muttered, Ouranos turning to him and was surprised at the anger in the phoenix blader's eyes, "He had gone through worse pain. And when Rin was hit by that bat to the head, he said that it didn't hurt at all. You made them be practically immune to pain."

"I did them a favor." Ouranos answered, "Otherwise, they would have died in Nemesis's training."

"You're a bastard." Kai retorted, "No matter what happened to you in the past, that doesn't justify your actions towards the innocent."

"Perhaps. Then again, who are you to lecture me?" Ouranos shot back and Kai flinched, as if wounded. Tyson frowned at Ouranos, angry that he had compared himself to Kai.

"Enough talk. We're ready to battle." Garland snarled.

Ouranos nodded, "As you wish."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Where is everyone?" Raul thought as he made his way up the stairs, stumbling on things he was afraid of seeing because, the last time he had done so, he had seen a skeleton hand that had a plastic silver ring.

He had recognized that ring. It had belonged to the six-year old Rosaline. The sweet girl with long dark blue hair and light green eyes that was from Spain as well. She was a possible candidate for Chaos's tamer and she was such a kind girl. She and Tyson had entered a room to be tested by Chaos and she had not come back. It had never dawned on Raul that she was dead until now.

"They can't have gotten too far." He muttered, stopping in front of a room and seeing the remains of a beybattle, "This must have been Gaea's room. That means that they're not too far away!"

He began to walk up the stairs quickly, almost tripping again. He paused, trying to regain his breath. Not too far from him, floating silently behind him, was Dark Driger. The beast was waving at Raul, mouthing words and just making a fool out of himself, knowing Raul couldn't see or hear him.

"Are they fighting Ouranos?" Raul asked himself before he heard groaning behind him. He turned around, Dark Driger having flown up to avoid being seen by the young blader, "What was that?"

"Raul?"

Raul perked up, seeing Ming-Ming, Oliver and Zeus – Zeus on Oliver's back and just waving at Raul – coming up the stairs, "You don't know how glad I am to see you guys."

"I bet." Oliver said, grinning at the Spanish male, "It seems that they beat Hades. Who else did they beat before you?"

Raul hummed, looking at the stairs and seeing how far they must have walked to make it here, "I know Hecate and Nemesis have been defeated but I don't know about Gaea. I think they have, seeing as they're making their way to the chamber of Ouranos."

"That leaves Tartarus, Dark Draciel, Dark Dragoon, Dark Driger, Dark Dranzer and Chaos left to defeat," Zeus answered, looking pensive, "Things might become more complicated."

"You think so?"

"I know so-." Zeus stopped, realizing that none of the bladers had spoken. They all looked up to see the smirking face of Dark Driger, who seemed very happy to have finally been noticed.

"Hello." He grinned. Instinctively, Ming-Ming reached for her blade but then remembered that it had been destroyed with Oliver's and she doubted Raul had a blade with him. Zeus certainly did not have one.

"Why are you here?"

"To say hello, mostly. And to say that you have been invited to enter Chaos's room." They all frowned at him and he pouted, "What? I don't think you want to enter my room. It's not as nice as his."

"What's the catch?" Oliver asked.

"Catch?" Dark Driger closed his eyes, putting a hand under his chin and thinking. He stretched in a feline-like manner – obviously. He was a giant cat – before responding, "None so far. Chaos won't be able to hurt you because you'll be considered a bystander and you'll be able to see the both sides of the battle without being there. Sounds tempting right?"

"No."

Dark Driger groaned, "Tough crowd."

"I'll go."

Ming-Ming, Zeus and Raul turned to Oliver like he was crazy. This just made the green-haired French boy smile, "They have an advantage over us in knowing how the battles have gone. I'm curious to see how they do that."

"You do realize you'll have to take me with you." Zeus muttered.

"Chaos won't hurt you. Dark Driger said so himself." He answered.

The three that didn't want to go to the chamber of the most psychotic beast shared a look that showed that they had decided to give in. Oliver nodded at Dark Driger, "Alright then. Take us to Chaos."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

As soon as they had made it into Ouranos's room, Garland and Robert had gotten into positions while the beast had done the same. They hadn't wasted any time in launching their blades, so angry they had been. Ouranos was the only calm out of the three bladers, surprising Tyson because Robert hadn't been one to let emotions control him.

"It's a defense-type." Kaori muttered, Tyson turning to her when she frowned, "No, a speed-type. Wait, it seems like he's a more defensive-type blader than speed."

"How can you tell which one Ouranos favors?"

Kaori indicated the spinning blade, "You see how the defense ring is made of a strong material? In other words, he's relying on defense. However, the tip of the blade is one you see commonly on speed-types and the blade just seems lighter so he can move quickly."

"You can deduce that by just seeing?" Kai questioned.

Kaori nodded, "I worked as a Beyblade mechanic for a time with my dad. I learned a thing or two from it-. Watch out!" The warning was shot to Garland who had not heeded Kaori's warning and ended up crashing Appolon into Griffolyon, as Ouranos had dodged away from the blade before it even got near it.

"Careful! Can you not see he's toying with us?" Robert asked Garland, hating the calm attitude of Ouranos that he had seen many bladers have before, including himself. For some reason, Ouranos was completely in peace.

' _Relax, both of you,'_ Garland heard a voice in his head and he saw a small thrush fly inside his head, singing softly, _'You can win. I believe in you. Seal the members of the Forsaken Fallen. For my sake and the others.'_

"Shun." Garland whispered, staring at Ouranos who stood across from him. He didn't stir when he had heard the name of his tamer the way Nemesis had when Kaori was trying to break free.

 _Shun, you're still in there?_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

' _We decided to make our own path in the darkness, Ouranos. So why are we fighting them?'_ Shun asked Ouranos in their joined soul room. Unlike the soul rooms of the others that had been possessed, Shun's room was filled with light, inside an art studio with one of the canvas's showing Ouranos.

Ouranos sat down on the floor, looking up at the ceiling, _'You are aware of Night's ideals, correct?'_ When Shun nodded, he continued, _'He upheld those ideals until he died. Those ideals stayed inside those that now mourn him so those ideals will never die.'_

' _So? Are you telling me that you want to be a martyr?'_ Shun asked, _'If you did, you would not have provoked them.'_

' _Would they fight me if they saw me as someone similar to Night?'_ Shun paused, Ouranos turning to look at him, _'Exactly. They wouldn't. I had to give them that push so they can have their battle with me. If I lose, you will tell them of my ideals. If I win, I might convince Chaos to follow my path. With this battle, I can satisfy Chaos's need to battle and for me to see how strong these humans are.'_

' _I think you are a little loopy.'_ Shun muttered, _'When are you guys going to stop and think that a beybattle isn't the solution?'_

' _A battle like this is the only language we both seem to understand, Shun,"_ He answered, facing the only picture in the wall that was moving, showing both of them what was happening outside, _'The only way for us to understand each other is to battle.'_

' _Then you are all fools.'_ Shun answered.

' _Yes, we are,'_ Ouranos turned around to smile back at Shun, _'but fools are at least honest.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Dodge!" Kaori advised and, the next thing Garland and Robert saw, Ouranos had turned to the offensive, the brunette girl having seen it gathering its power. Ouranos hummed as he attacked the two blades, his eyes and body language still displaying his serenity.

"The thrush has found its ruined nest," He said, singing in that peaceful tone of his, "Its pitiful cry pierces the night. Oh, little thrush, what will you do to make this right? The poor thrush wants to seek revenge, fall down. It will not rest, fall down, until it finds the one that destroyed its nest." His blade attacked fiercely, as if it was an attack-based blade. The blade was packed with even more power, as Garland and Robert looked tired every time the blade hit them.

"Is it the song?" Nami asked Kai suddenly, making the phoenix blader turn to the young girl, seeing Garland and Robert's strained faces, "Is the song giving him power?"

"The thrush . . . has found its ruined nest." Tyson muttered and clutched his head suddenly as he started seeing images. He saw the image of a beautiful sky painted in the purest shade of blue. The image changed to the image of someone holding a corpse, a painful cry wrenching itself out of a hoarse throat. "It will not rest until it finds the one that destroyed its nest." He could see the back of a male with long white hair, who turned his head slightly towards him and smirked.

"Fall down, fall down, vengeful thrush. Your wings will be dipped in red, your foes filled with dread. Oh, little thrush, what will you do to make this right?" Ouranos continued, his blade glowing and a pillar of white light shot out, taking the form of a white Chimera that had stitches on it, as if it had been torn apart once. Ray looked away from the beast.

The 'thrush' had pitch-black wings, his hands covered in blood and some blood splatters were on his wings. Tyson saw people running away, screaming, before the 'thrush' ran to them and stabbed them.

"He's only using more power!" Robert yelled. He and Garland shared a look and nodded before they also released their beasts, Griffolyon and Appolon launching themselves at Ouranos.

"Oh little thrush, why are you crying now? Didn't you know that blood is heavy?" Ouranos sang the final verse and his blade began to glow, the wind picking up before he headed towards his opponents.

The 'thrush' was covered in blood, screaming and crying out. He lowered his head, his black hair covering his face. After a while, he lifted his head, his eyes reflecting his inner madness.

Chaos.

Robert and Garland yelled as they were hit by the light-wind blade, throwing them into the air before they fell, Ouranos glowing a sky-blue color while his hair flew back, revealing his right eye that was scarred.

"That can't be the extent of your power, can it?" Ouranos asked, sounding disappointed before sighing, "If you want to beat Chaos and the others, then you have to be strong."

"What?" Garland questioned, seeing the holy beast's eyes turning red, "Shun?"

"If this is the extent of your power, then you don't deserve to protect this world," He replied, his eyes going back to normal, "With this pitiful power, you will never save Hikaru, Aya, Hiro, Riku, Rin or Takao."

Something inside everyone snapped, remembering their fallen companions. Garland remembered how he had been powerless to stop Riku, Hiro and Aya from being taken. Robert remembered how defenseless he had been when he had fought Hecate weeks ago. They both hated remembering how weak they had been at that moment and it showed in their eyes.

"We are not weak." Robert snarled, Ouranos pausing at the appearance of a dark purple aura around the young man, "You want us to show you our true power? Fine then! Griffolyon, Wind of a Thousand Blades!"

"Appolon, Lightning Beam!"

A bright light shot out of Appolon's mouth while a barrage of swords came out of Griffolyon's majestic wings. Ouranos closed his eyes, whispering something before the attack hit him.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

" _My path in the darkness is to walk close to the light." Ouranos told Chaos, Dark Dranzer and Dark Dragoon regarding him coolly as he had dropped one of the bladers into the room and had now dropped this declaration them._

" _Your path?" Chaos asked, turning to face him._

" _You must have seen this coming," Ouranos said, "I never believed in Erebus's ideals of destroying humanity and this world and scorned them. I do the same to the ideal that we will destroy humanity."_

" _Then what do you propose?" Chaos question, playing with the black bishop before setting it down, "Will you leave us and follow your own path?"_

" _No," He answered, surprising Chaos, "You are right. Humanity is corrupted and should be destroyed. But I can see there is still good in them. So my ideal is to wipe out the wicked, not the pure."_

" _Not bad," Chaos smiled, putting down the black bishop, "If that is your ideal, then chase after it. I think Night would like to hear that you want to stand closer to the light." Ouranos nodded, smiling softly._

" _Then I have made up my mind."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Ouranos fell to the ground, his defensive move failing so both of the attacks had hit him straight on. He was sprawled on the ground, staring up at the ceiling and smiled, "You are worthy of protecting this world, of destroying the wicked that I could not punish. Can you try to do that for me, Shun?"

His blade was wobbling by his face and he turned to face it, ignoring the soft footsteps of the blader that had approached them, "Don't let my ideals disappear like I have. I don't want this world to be ruled by darkness anymore."

' _I will work hard for your ideals to become true, Ouranos.'_

' _Thank you, Shun.'_

The blade stopped spinning and they all saw Ouranos return to his blade, abandoning Shun's body. Tala kneeled down to shake Shun's shoulder as his hair turned blue once more. They all saw Tala grin and knew that the nice blunette was back among them.

Shun blinked, confused for a moment before whispering, "Tala-kun?"

"About time that you returned." Tala said, helping the blunette sit up. Nami choked back a sob when she saw Shun sit up, remembering that the last time she had seen him. It had seemed like years had passed since she had last seen him. She ran to him, no one bothering to stop her.

"Shun!" Nami cried out, hugging the young male that had barely gotten up on his feet, burying her face on the crook of his neck, "You're back."

Shun nodded, almost falling back from the force of Nami's hug but was lucky that Tala had been supporting him, "And I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, Nami-chan."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Erebus: Done with that. See you all in October. *leaves***

 **Night: . . . Review the chapter and send us your thoughts. The Tartarus chapter will be coming shortly. Anime has already started working on the upcoming chapters. Check her update schedule in her Bio after every new chapter and you will find out exactly when the next update will be coming. Farewell. We will be seeing you again in chapter 24.**

 ****Notes on Chapter 23: Ouranos, in the first draft, was going to be the one to leave the Forsaken Fallen instead of Night, as Night would've only been mentioned in the first draft but would never make an appearance. As such, Ouranos's role was modified so he could still be supportive of the humans but remains with the Forsaken Fallen.****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: I Hate Everything About You**

 **Song: I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace**

 **Preview: With Ouranos sealed away, that leaves the six members of the Forsaken Fallen remaining. Will Tartarus be as forgiving as his brother or will Tala and Bryan suffer the wrath of a scorned beast?**


	25. Chapter 24: I Hate Everything About You

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To all the very lovely readers that I love. And my adorable OC Riku Kuonji, whose birthday was on October 30 and for Halloween.**

 **Anime: I almost didn't get this up and I didn't get it in for Ri-Ri's birthday. Glad I got to in the end, though. Even if it's late. Curse my stupid school for cramming us with exams. Woohoo, Tartarus chapter! *passes out***

 **Riku: We hope you enjoy this!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **24: I Hate Everything About You**

 _Chaos's Chamber Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

"Fuck this world!" Chaos looked up from his chess set to see Tartarus punching the wall, looking absolutely livid as his eyes kept glowing dangerously, "I hate those thrice-accursed humans! How dare they drag Ouranos back into the darkness and seal him away!"

Dark Dranzer was playing once more with his blade, ignoring the tantrum Tartarus was making. Out of all the beasts, he was the one used to the tantrums the others threw. He was Chaos's closest friend, after all. He yawned, leaning back on one of the legs of the table that Chaos was using to have his chess board.

"Yes, yes, you're angry. Does Hikaru feel the same way?" Dark Driger asked, serving tea to Zeus, who was still thinking that coming into Chaos's chamber was a bad idea and it seemed Ming-Ming and Raul agreed on that. Oliver was the only one that seemed to be fine with the idea, sipping his tea comfortably.

The room was dark and imposing as Chaos's darkness tendrils were covering the whole room, something that was scaring Ming-Ming a lot. Scarier than the tendrils were their friends that were hanging on the ceiling, asleep and being connected to something dark that looked like medical tubes.

 _This was not a bright idea,_ Raul, Ming-Ming and Zeus thought. Meanwhile, Tartarus was still fuming.

"Hikaru is gone." He responded, holding his head while he heard Hikaru's scream echo within his mind, making him want to sew his tamer's mouth shut so the screams would stop annoying him, "Locked away in the deepest corner of his soul room where even I cannot hear him. Besides, his little brother wasn't the one that was sealed away. Mine was."

Ouranos was smiling at him, waving at him from a distance as he ran towards a hill. He turned around and Ouranos now looked like Shun. Tartarus growled, shaking his head and blaming Hikaru for the image that had popped into his head.

"You're such a ray of sunshine." Dark Dranzer muttered, done with messing around with his blade. He yawned once more, making Tartarus scowl down at him, "Can someone pass me a muffin?" Chaos grabbed one and tossed it to him, Dark Dranzer muttering a small thanks before taking a bite.

"Tell me, Chaos," Oliver asked, grabbing a white chess piece that happened to be the king, "Can you actually play chess?"

Chaos rolled his eyes when Dark Dranzer snickered, "He sucks at games. Night and Erebus would always beat him in everything. Hell, I beat him in several games." Chaos frowned at Dark Dranzer, who merely stuck out his tongue at him before grabbing the queen, "I'm a different story."

"Oh?" Oliver questioned.

Dark Dranzer's eyes flashed a brilliant red while he smirked, "I could be a Game King if I wanted to but I don't think that title suits me. I am the best when it comes to any kind of game. Beyblade is no exception."

"Good enough to battle and defeat Kai?" At that, Dark Dranzer paused, his eyes turning blue as Oliver guessed he wrestled for control against Rin before they turned red again. Dark Dranzer glared at him while Oliver smirked, "Not a tight enough leash, huh?" Everyone knew what he was talking about.

"Trust me. The leash is tight enough." Dark Dranzer answered. He stretched, "Now, isn't it time for you to get going and try to crush the humans?" The question was directed at the still pissed-off Tartarus, who only glared at the back of Dark Dranzer's head. Dark Dranzer turned to him with a smirk, "Try not to lose pathetically, okay? We have a reputation to uphold"

"I want to wring your neck." Tartarus replied.

"As if I'd let you," Dark Dragoon said, patting Dark Dranzer's head as if the phoenix-beast was a dog. Dark Dranzer rolled his eyes up at him, muttering something about 'useless chivalry', "Hey, at least try to happy that I'm your knight in shining armor."

"I am not a damsel distress, you psycho." Dark Dranzer muttered, Raul, Chaos, Oliver, Ming-Ming and Zeus shuddering at that mental image. Dark Dranzer in a dress was too creepy to think about.

"I don't know about you but you'd look great in a dress." Dark Driger snorted. He dodged a fireball that was aimed at his head and laughed at the rude gesture that Dark Dranzer threw at him.

Chaos raised an eyebrow at them, as if telling them to stop fighting. He placed the black rook in front of two white rooks and smiled, unnerving Zeus because nothing good came out of that smile.

"Time to play, Tartarus." He whispered, turning to face everyone, "Try not to hurt them too badly."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"I miss shoes." Shun bemoaned as he was carried piggyback by Garland. The male's feet was covered by his own blood and blood from other people – they didn't want to know whose it was – because every step he took felt like he was walking on nails. He looked at everyone, "Tartarus-san is the last beast you'll battle. After that, it'll be the dark halves and Chaos-sama that you'll be facing."

"Hey, why in the world would you address Chaos as 'Chaos-sama'?" Tyson asked, turning to look back at the boy. Shun blinked, apparently not having realized what he had done.

"I guess it's Ouranos-kun's influence. I mean, he is my beast," Shun closed his eyes and smiled gently, "Some part of his soul is still within me. His dreams, his wishes, his memories and his feelings are with me and live with me until my death."

"You don't mind having some part of him within you, Shun?" Nami asked.

Shun opened his eyes, "Not at all. Ouranos-kun was not a bad person. Even after everything he did to me, I never hated him. When I say into his heart, I could see that he regretted everything. How can I hold a grudge against someone that truly regrets their actions?"

"You're too forgiving, Shun," Kaori said, a hand on her forehead, "Even after seeing into Nemesis's heart, I can't bring myself to forgive her. Perhaps I'm too harsh." The last part was muttered softly so only those that were close to her could hear it. "Does that make me a bad person?"

"No, Kaori-chan. It just makes you human."

Kai wondered that as they walked up the stairs, silence reigning over the team.

Kai wondered that as they walked up the stairs, silence reigning over the team. He looked back at Tyson and wondered if that was the reason the wielder of Dragoon had forgiven him so many times. When he had forsaken Black Dranzer back in Lake Baikal, he had regretted everything – leaving the team, abandoning Dranzer. It seemed that Tyson and the others had seen that regret and had forgiven him. He briefly wondered if everyone could learn to forgive the Forsaken Fallen as well.

' _I hope that you will.'_ Dranzer told him, _'They are really good people.'_

' _They just need to repent.'_

"I think that's the room up ahead!" Kenny pointed at the golden double doors up ahead. He ran up the stairs, the others doing so – except Kaori, Nami and Julia that limped their way up while Shun was being carried – too.

"Let's do this!" Tyson yelled out happily, "Let's beat Tartarus!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Chamber of Elders, Unknown Dimension, Unknown Time_

"This is getting fun to watch." Fifteenth muttered, smirking at the orb where they could all see what was happening in the chaotic dimension of the seventeenth universe. Third glared at him, which was the default expression the female elder had when it concerned Fifteenth. The bastard looked as if he was cheering for the destruction of humanity. She wouldn't put it past him to be cheering for that, though.

"No, it is not." First snapped, glaring at the male with the same look that Chaos often used, making Fifteenth look down, looking like a chastised dog. He did not appreciate the smug look Ninth gave him, as she liked it when Fifteenth was scolded. The only one that really could make Fifteenth shut the hell up was First. Everyone – except First – knew it was because Fifteenth had a small crush on the most powerful Elder.

"This is a problem," Thirteenth said. The twenty-nine year old looking male Elder had golden-blonde hair and light blue-green eyes while he was dressed in the robes of an ancient prince of India, which was a sharp contrast to his too-pale skin. The fact that he sitting next to Twelfth – a twenty year old female Elder with ebony skin, black hair and golden eyes that reminded them a lot of Driger and Third's old self – made him stand out too much.

"Definitely," Twelfth said, her eyes narrowed as she stared at the smirk on Tartarus's face as the bladers entered the room, their faces grim as Tartarus began to speak to them, taunting them as was his nature, "If they lose to him, let's hope that they don't because that'll be pathetic, then the whole world will fall."

"Don't be looking at the negative side," Second told her, swinging her legs that had gone numb from sitting too long in her throne, "With Max having gone ahead to face Dark Draciel, he might be the ace they need to save the Earth."

"It seems they've chosen Tala and Bryan to battle Tartarus," Eleventh informed the other Elders before glancing down at Seventeenth, who was still standing. This time, however, red chains on her wrists and blue shackles on her ankles were dragging her down to the ground. She looked ready to fall to her knees, looking as if she was carrying the world on her shoulders.

"If they fail, Chaos will destroy humanity and you'll be executed. Let's see how you fair, Seventeenth. The victory of these humans decides your fate."

Seventeen smiled at them and looked up at the orb where she could see the brave bladers facing off against Tartarus. She closed her eyes, releasing a small sigh of relief, "Then my fate rests in good, capable hands."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Tartarus's Chamber, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

"Welcome to my chamber, fools." Tartarus said, greeting them with glowing white eyes that looked like Night's but were not comforting the way Night's had been. They turned black once more and he smiled disturbingly at them, which made Shun shudder because Hikaru never smiled like that. Hikaru never looked at anyone maliciously so he hated to see his brother look like this.

"Hikaru-nii . . ." He whispered, his voice breaking at the end because of his sorrow. He thought that he had said it softly so no one could hear him but Tala had definitely heard him and the redhead looked that the boy that was Hikaru.

Tala stepped forward with Bryan walking next to him, as had been decided by Kenny and Kaori because Kaori had said that they'd be able to defeat Tartarus quickly with their types, "Tartarus, we'll be your opponents."

Tartarus snickered, "What? The mutt that lost to Appolon and a chicken? Too easy."

"Think that now but you'll see the extent of our powers soon." Bryan shot back at the beast, looking as intimidating as always.

"Earth-based, offensive-type blade that spins right like most blades. Like the other blades of the Forsaken Fallen, his blade is not of the Hard Metal System. His beast looks identical to Ouranos's, minus the stitches," Kaori whispered to Tala and then grabbed Tala's hand, "Please bring back Hikaru."

Kaori remembered Hikaru from the past and from the incident a year ago. She remembered what a good person he was and had only discovered that the boy that had accidently kissed her after saving her a year ago when she had fallen off a bridge was none other than Hikaru Kuwashima. She hadn't gotten to know Hikaru that well but she had seen enough of his heart to know that he was a good person and she might actually be harboring feelings for said boy. She wanted him back, just so she could get to know him. All of that ran through her head as she whispered her request to Tala, someone she greatly admired and aspired to be.

"I'm not going to do it just because you said it, you know," Tala said, looking at the earnest girl's eyes, seeing the tears ready to fall, before looking back at the distraught twin that was being carried by Garland. Shun looked so heartbroken that anyone that saw him felt his pain of not having his twin with him.

Kaori let out a small laugh, "I know. I don't think you would. So do it for Shun too. He needs Hikaru." Kaori said then squeezed Tala's hand before letting go, the haughty expression on her face reminding him of Tyson, "So kick some major ass, okay?"

"No need to tell me twice." Tala said before Kaori walked back so she wouldn't be in the way, wiping the remnants of her tears away. The two human tamers and the beast readied their launchers before the countdown began.

"Three, two, one, let it rip!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Hikaru reached out in vain within the darkness, his ankles and wrists chaining him down inside this room that made him see all his sorrows. His hand quivered softly in the darkness, wanting someone to take it.

' _Shun, I'm sorry.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Tartarus's Chamber, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

The match had been underway for some time before Tala and Bryan realized that, unlike the other members of the Forsaken Fallen that had tried to beat the others, Tartarus was aiming to kill them, the maniacal look in his eyes reminding Bryan too much of himself. He was a little scared, especially because Tartarus looked too much like Hikaru, the laid-back slacker twin that didn't do much during the time that they had known him. His face – relaxed and happy – was twisted with the poison named insanity.

Tartarus had black hair that had been ruffled thanks to Falborg's winds and dark blue eyes that looked black like darkness. He had a gash across his cheek that looked recent and made him look more insane than the other members of the Forsaken Fallen they had seen.

Tala's jumpsuit was almost ripped to shreds and Bryan's jacket was long gone. They had slash marks on their faces from the sharp earth shards that Tartarus had sent in an attempt to hurt them. Of course, they hadn't gone easy on Tartarus at first, Bryan hacking at his arms and legs, until Shun cried out that they were hurting his brother. So, that left the Russians in the position of being attacked but not being able to attack back.

"Come on, let your restrictions go, boys! Release the beasts you have inside you," Tartarus laughed, his blade slashing through both Wolborg and Falborg while his beast – identical to Ouranos as Kaori had said – tried to destroy the blades. His right eye looked as if he was crying, although the tear was blood. Hell, Tala could swear he heard Hikaru screaming for them to kill him and save themselves.

' _KILL ME!'_

"Shut up!" Bryan yelled, although Tala wasn't sure if he said it to Hikaru or to Tartarus.

' _I can't feel my body. It's rebelling. Even if you defeat Tartarus, he'll make sure to drag me into the darkness to the point where my soul will be shattered. I'd rather die than let that happen.'_

"Hikaru, think about Shun. How will he feel if you were to die?" Tala whispered, looking at said blue-haired boy. Besides Kaori, Shun was the person that was the most distraught at the battle. He had asked Garland to put him down so he was standing, pained at both the beybattle and the curse on his legs.

' _Shun . . . leaving him shall be my only regret.'_

"World's Casket!" Tartarus yelled as the whole room shook. Shun yelled while Wolborg and Falborg trembled while the ground tried to surround them.

"Squall Spiral!" Bryan yelled, a small cyclone forming around Falborg and protecting the blade from Tartarus's attack. This made the blade's attention turn to Wolborg, Tala ready on the offensive. Tartarus gave Tala a smirk and yelled, his blade rushing to attack him head on. With the powerful attack ring he had, Tala knew that Tartarus was planning on crushing his blade.

That was not happening.

Tala turned Wolborg to face Tartarus and launched his own attack, "Wolborg, frost Tartarus with the Howling Winds!" His bit-beast leapt out the blade, howling mercilessly at Tartarus while launching itself at the other beast.

Tyson felt a pull on his chest again and small lights surrounded Wolborg until the dark room they were in was enveloped by this bright light. Tala blinked, "What the hell is that light?" He felt someone grab his hand and turned around slightly to see who it was but the person just hid away from his view.

" _Let's save Hikaru's soul, okay?"_

Tala had no idea what the person meant but he could see a hand hesitantly reaching out for his own and he took that hand, only to see it was none other than Hikaru, who looked ready to burst into tears. Hikaru smiled and the shackles on his wrists that had been tying him down

"I don't get it!" Tartarus yelled, shielding his eyes from the bright light as he felt his blade and Wolborg clash together, both of the blades spinning wildly against each other and sparks flying, neither wanting to give up, "Why does _his_ light surround you?!"

Kai looked up to see Dark Dranzer and Dark Dragoon flying on the roof before they vanished just as quickly, as they no doubt went to report things to Chaos. He turned to look at the battle again, wondering what that light – _that familiar light_ – was doing here.

' _Night fights with the righteous ones!_ ' Tartarus paused, recognizing Hikaru's voice but finding it impossible because Hikaru had been locked away, deep inside his heart where he'd never wake up.

' _Not a chance!'_ Hikaru wrestled against him for control inside their shared room, _'I am your true tamer, Hikaru Kuwashima and you will let me control my own body. Do you hear me?!'_

' _Go away!'_

Hikaru yelled and Tartarus saw Tala and _Night_ launch another attack against him, Bryan working his own ability into the attack. Tartarus was trapped between his ferocious tamer and the two insanely strong bladers that had launched an attack strong enough to defeat him.

"Sorry, Ouranos. I'll have to catch up with you later." He muttered softly as the attack made its way toward him. Instead of launching an attack to protect himself, he turned and faced Hikaru, tamer and beast fighting for domination.

Somewhere, away from the fighting, Chaos knocked down a black rook with a disappointed look on his eyes, Dark Dranzer and Dark Dragoon looking just as disappointed.

The attack launched Tartarus to the wall, the scream that wrenched itself from his mouth sounding more human than they were accustomed to hear from him.

The light died down enough for them to see the blade that had been shattered, leaving behind only a bit-chip that had a scratch on it as it was on the verge of breaking. They all turned to see Tala and Bryan panting hard, Tala looking over his shoulder as if looking for someone. Tyson was the first to look at Tartarus and gave out a small gulp, "Um, guys."

"What the hell?!" Tartarus yelled, holding his nest of unruly blue hair, his red eyes narrowed, "I thought you let me out of my mental prison because you'd let me fight Tartarus off! Did ya have to launch that badass attack after I beat Tartarus and locked him in his blade or was that overkill?!"

"Hikaru?!" Kaori yelled in astonishment, seeing that he was nearly covered in his own blood, "Wha-?"

"I broke free of Tartarus, Kao-chan," He said, trying to get on his feet but failing to do so, "Then the first thing I get when I wake up is frostbite and blindness." He blinked rapidly, "Gods, it's as if I looked directly at the sun."

"Hikaru-nii-san!" Shun yelled happily, getting to his feet and running towards his brother. He didn't get far before he fell with a cry, his bleeding feet looking worse. This made Hikaru get up to rush to his brother, holding the smaller twins in his arms, "You're okay?"

"Yeah," Hikaru nodded at him before chuckling. Even if he was clearly in more pain, Shun worried for him. He was never going to learn. Hikaru looked up at the other bladers and smiled, "Thanks for helping us out of that dark place."

"No problem."

Kai looked up at the place Dark Dragoon and Dark Driger had been hiding during the match before narrowing his eyes and speaking in a solemn tone that everyone was familiar with, "Now, that leaves the final five."

The moment of truth came. Would he and the others be strong enough to defeat their dark halves? There was one way to find out and Kai was itching to do so. He smirked, ignoring everything else around him.

 _Wait for us, Chaos. Let's show you the power of our blades._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Rushed? Yes. I apologize for the shitty battle but I tried to get the chapter out to not keep you hanging for long and I was in a sugar rush while writing it. So . . . yeah. Have a happy day, everyone! And enjoy your Halloween if you celebrate it. See ya in the next update! November is filled with MIAB fun.**

 **Erebus: Doesn't sound good.**

 **Night: Not at all . . .**

 **MIAB chapters left until the END: 7**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: In The End**

 **Song: In The End by Linkin Park**

 **Preview: With Tartarus defeated, it's almost the end of our heroes' battle with the Forsaken Fallen. However, the final members of the Forsaken Fallen are the dark halves of the sacred spirits. First up is the beast that is controlling Aya: Dark Draciel. Can Max save the girl without both of them sinking to the bottom?**


	26. Chapter 25: In The End

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To all the very lovely readers that I love, as usual. And to the twins Hikaru and Shun, who are celebrating their birthday today.**

 **Anime: We finally made it to the dark counterparts' arc, you guys! Get ready for feels from the past because we see the two halves battle each other.**

 **Hikaru: Today's chapter is mostly about Draciel and Dark Draciel's bond, their feelings and the unfortunate duo trapped in the middle: Max and Aya.**

 **Shun: We will even get flashbacks! Not as fun as the battle but it will provide more insight on the past.**

 **Anime: Let's start the show!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

" _Speaking"_ : Soul bond mode

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **25: In The End**

In a lonely, abandoned and forlorn-looking forest, several centuries ago, beasts and humans were speaking in a clearing. So far, their attempts to seal the Forsaken Fallen had been successful. However, the final members – Chaos, Dark Dranzer, Dark Driger, Dark Dragoon, Dark Draciel and, unfortunately, Night – were going to be harder to capture than the others.

"You have to catch them off-guard. That is how we will take them down before they can do any harm," Daisuke informed his close friend Dragoon, who only nodded his head, agreeing with him.

"How will we do that?" Galux asked, "Chaos has, without a doubt, already told them to keep their guard up against any human or holy beast. So how will we capture them?"

"I can get Dark Draciel off-guard." Draciel spoke, everyone turning to the proud male who clutched the golden dagger of First Elder. He closed his eyes, "She is my other half; I know her better than anyone. If her guard will be low with anyone, it will be with me."

"Are you sure you will be able to, Draciel?" Poseidon asked, "You said it yourself; she is your other half. Will you be able to seal her away? Do not forget what we have had to do to capture the others." At that, Driger shuddered while Galux patted him in the back. The powerful white tiger looked so distraught, no doubt haunted by his actions against Ouranos.

"It is because she is my other half that I must do this," He answered. He closed his eyes, "It is my duty to seal her away." With that, he blinked and looked behind him, "She is coming."

"Hide." Daisuke hissed at the humans while the beasts grabbed a human and jumped up the trees. Daisuke's eyes flashed green and he nearly fell to the ground before Dragoon caught him. He made sure that the boy wasn't unconscious before looking up at Draciel.

"I wish you luck, brother," Dragoon told the young beast before flying into the air, taking Daisuke with him.

Draciel turned and, at that moment, Dark Draciel came out from the bushes, running towards him at top speed, her hair done in a braid that had some branches sticking out of her hair.

"Draciel, Draciel," the young girl laughed, running barefoot towards her other half. He turned sadly at her, although that sadness was not seen by her. She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning in close. She looked up, "Have you heard about what happened to Nemesis, Hecate, Hades and the twins?"

"What happened," Draciel asked, feigning ignorance. He remembered the forlorn, hateful and horrified glances of the ones he called his siblings. Even now, the image of Driger tearing Ouranos apart haunted him, along with the pained scream of both Ouranos and Tartarus, who had been forced to watch.

"They were sealed away!" She said, sounding so melancholic. Her eyes were even shiny with unshed tears, "It's the humans doing it. I-I know it is. Erebus must have taught those evil humans ways to seal us away to-to-to," She whimpered, biting her lower lip, "I am terrified."

Draciel held her in arm's length and wiped away her tears, "It will be fine, Dark Draciel. You do not have to worry." He hugged her, closing his eyes as he kissed the top of her head. She buried her face in his neck, sighing as she held onto him tightly.

"I knew he was wrong." She muttered, looking up at Draciel, "I cannot believe Dark Dragoon thought it was you and our other siblings who were sealing us away." She laughed, thinking about how ridiculous that statement had been. She knew that her lighter half would never bring her harm, just like she wouldn't harm him. They were closer than siblings, closer than lovers. They were the broken halves that were only completed when they were together. Without each other, they were nothing.

She closed her eyes, once again resting her head on Draciel's shoulder while she felt him play with her hair. She felt so calm, so happy-.

 _Pain._

She opened her eyes and screamed as she felt something pierce her back. She felt Draciel let her go and she crumpled on the ground. Her eyes widened as she saw blood on the ground and she was certain that it was her own. She looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief and pain and sorrow.

Looming over her was her other half – _without each other, they were nothing_ – who held a bloodied golden dagger, his eyes shining with unshed tears. She shook her head, "You-you stabbed me."

"Forgive me." He said before stabbing her in one of her shoulders. She screamed, attempting to bat him away with her hands but the pain – too much pain, too much blood – made her unable to focus properly on her goal.

"Why?!" She screamed, reaching out to wrap her hands around his neck. Draciel took out the cursed dagger and used it to stab the palm of her hand. He cried as she screamed, falling on her back. She whimpered while he stood upright, his hands shaking before letting go of the dagger, that cluttered to the ground as its job was complete.

"She will not fight back now. It is time for us to seal her away." He spoke, looking up. Dark Draciel felt a tear run down her eye as she saw all those she called friends – family – come down from the trees. She drew herself in a ball, the way a turtle hides in its shell and started to cry.

"Why? Why?" Her whispers were unheard by the others, who began to chant. She turned to look at Draciel, their eyes conveying their emotions; hers of sorrow, fear and betrayal, his of regret, sorrow and acceptance. Her eyes narrowed, anger and hatred clouding the once gentle dark beast.

"I hate you." She hissed, "I curse you, Hikari Genbu, spawn of the Seventh Elder, my weak side." She showed the bloody palm to him, "Never forget me or the life of the ones you hold dear will be forfeit. Forget me and my curse, my hatred, will consume everything."

Draciel almost stumbled on the song of sealing but continued, knowing he deserved her hatred, her anger, her curse. He closed his eyes, "I bless you, Yami Genbu, spawn of the Seventh Elder, my other half," He opened them, "I hope you can one day find it in your heart to forgive me."

After that, Dark Draciel only knew darkness.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Present: Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Max had expected a lot of things from Dark Draciel, seeing as how much Aya feared her. When Gaea had allowed only him to go through the rooms under her protection to meet Dark Draciel, he had expected Dark Draciel to start trying to kill him. Well, at least trying to battle him.

Instead, the young woman had asked him how he liked his tea.

For the past thirty minutes, Max had been awkwardly sitting in a chair while having a tea party with his bit-beast's dark half. He hadn't even taken a sip from his drink, wondering if it had been spiked. Dark Draciel paid him no mind as she drank and ate, currently munching on a muffin.

Max looked at Dark Draciel once more. She had not cut Aya's long hair the way Nemesis had for Kaori. Aya's blonde hair was now purple thanks to her influence while there was a white streak of hair that Max wondered if it was part of Dark Draciel's influence. Her eyes were pitch-black rimmed with purple, as if Aya was still there, fighting against Dark Draciel for control.

Dark Draciel wore a long-sleeved black dress that reached up to her knees. She was also wearing knee-high white socks and black shoes. All in all, she looked like a gothic porcelain doll. One that was ready to kill its master or something like that because of voodoo.

"Do you have Draciel's memories? Or Night's?"

Max looked up at the question. Dark Draciel giggled, as if Max being distracted was funny before setting down her tea cup gracefully, "Not paying attention, huh? I just want to know whose memories you have. Or do you not remember what happened in the past?"

"I don't remember." Max muttered, finally taking a sip from his tea. It was cold, much to his distaste. That's what he got for waiting so long to drink it. She had told him that it was hot when she had served it. He set down the tea cup loudly, flinching at the loud sound.

"Then you don't know what you did to us." Dark Draciel said, "You don't remember how Draciel tricked and betrayed me in order to seal me away." When Max said nothing, she continued, "We were close friends, despite being each other's opposite. Sure, we were nothing compared to Dark Dranzer and Dranzer in terms of closeness but we were happy." She glared, her grip on her tea cup dangerously tight, "Then you began to side with the humans, leaving me alone. You can imagine how sad I was. I was tossed aside like yesterday's garbage.

"Chaos accepted me afterwards. Together with the other dark counterparts, I became one of Chaos's trusted warriors. I stood by his side as we fought Eden's Rapture, saving the humans that had caused Draciel to abandon me. How do I get repaid for my actions? By getting sealed away for centuries by my other half, because the humans feared us. Tell me, was that fair?"

"No, it wasn't." Max admitted, surprising Dark Draciel, before frowning, "That still doesn't give you the right to harm innocent people."

"Why not?" Dark Draciel yawned, her hand covering her mouth, "They're the cause of our imprisonment, after all."

"Even if you are angry, you just don't hurt other people for it." Max answered, "That's what's wrong with you guys. Yes, you were hurt and I am sorry for what our beasts did. But you guys lashed out on innocent people during that period of hurt. That is just unforgivable."

"You must've spent a lot of time with Night if you're starting to sound like him," Dark Draciel said, her voice completely serious that it made Max pause as she had been speaking in a light tone when she spoke to him. She looked angry now, her eyes piercing his own.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Max replied.

"You like being compared to someone like Night? How dare you think you're worthy of praise." Dark Draciel snarled. She paused and stood up, smirking. She held out her hand and water shot out of it before it took the form of a person that looked a lot like Daichi.

"Daisuke, the wretched human, and his band are coming," She said, before the image of Daisuke disappeared. Her eyes hardened, "He was the only human who was used by the Elders as a medium, you know. He told us the will of the Elders, presenting us with information only they would know in order for us to trust him. That didn't happen the first couple of years we knew him, though. This happened during the time that Chaos and Sasha were happy together.

"Erebus, after killing Sasha, used Daisuke to inform the Elders of his declaration of war. We fought against him and then the Elders told Daisuke to seal us away, even giving him their weapons to immobilize us and teaching him the song of sealing. He enlisted the help of the other holy beasts and led them."

She giggled, as if remembering something funny, "Chaos hated him so much for that. In his seal, Chaos cursed Daisuke to die at the age of twenty-five in a slow, painful way. That was something that hurt all of you, watching the human you love slowly die of disease. In your grief, you combined his spirit with Gaia Dragoon's and they were reborn as Strata Dragoon."

"What?" Max's eyes widened. Those were news to him! Night must not have known that, as the beast had not mentioned that when he told Max their history. Did this mean that Daichi's beast was his own ancestor mixed with an ancient beast?

"Gaia Dragoon was originally a brown dragon, not golden. He became golden when Daisuke became one with him," She glanced at Max, "That is why Dark Dragoon wants the honors of destroying his descendant. Daichi, isn't it?" She laughed, "I would've done the honors but my hatred towards you is bigger."

"You're not like this, Dark Draciel," Max said, "I'm sorry for what you went through. You have to know that this isn't going to heal your pain."

"Of course not. But I'll enjoy inflicting the pain I felt on you and Draciel." She took out a launcher and her blade materialized in the palm of her right hand. She motioned for Max to follow her as they both stood. She waved her hand and a door appeared, leading into a balcony.

"This will be our arena." She said before standing on the rail, "Whoever loses will plummet to the lake below us. The winner moves on."

Max looked over the edge and nearly flinched. They were at least seven stories high! He wanted to decline the challenge but he thought about Aya and the memory of a smiling – genuinely smiling – Dark Draciel. He wanted to bring Aya back and Draciel wanted Dark Draciel's happiness back.

Max stood on the rail, careful not to look down unless he wanted to lose his balance. He took out his blade and launcher and both got into position, staring into each other's eyes.

 _Three._

Max could see all the emotions inside the beast's eyes. Hatred. Anger. Glee. Excitement. Rage. All those emotions reflected the heart and soul of Dark Draciel. And yet.

 _Two._

He could see sorrow in her eyes, as if she still carried some love for her other half that she cursed and hated. Not only that, but he saw some of Aya's soul lingering in the eyes of the beast that hated yet loved him.

 _One._

"Let it rip!"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

A bright and warm sun shining over a sandy beach, the water clear and as blue as the sky it reflected. The beach was empty, save for a young girl sitting at the shoreline, knees drawn in. Her arms were wrapped around her knees while her head rested on her knees too. She was a frail, naked young woman with long blonde hair that hid her face from view. One of her ankles was secured with a silver chain that, if followed, led to the bottom of the ocean where her soul rested.

The girl felt a vibration and lifted her head up, revealing purple eyes.

' _Max?'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

The two blades collided in midair, making both bladers grit their teeth and hold their ground as the vibrations were strong. If they had not been prepared, they would have fallen off the small balcony railing.

"Black River Burst!"

Water rose from the ground and surrounded Dark Draciel's blade before it seemed to explode, heading towards Draciel. Max was not going to lose that easily.

"Draciel, Aqua Shield!"

From behind Max, water from the lake below them rose and shielded the blade. The water clashed with Dark Draciel's, heading back to hit both Max and Dark Draciel. Max coughed, now soaking wet while Dark Draciel fared better as she was soaking wet but none of the water had gotten into her lungs.

' _Max, it's time for me to help.'_ Max paused as he saw Draciel appear in his soul room. His beast frowned, _'You're at an unfair disadvantage at the moment. So, let's combine now.'_

' _Okay.'_

Dark Draciel almost took a step back as she saw Max's hair turned purple while one of his eyes turned black. She saw a purple aura surround him before her eyes narrowed, "Draciel."

" _I've come to end this, my dear other half."_ Max/Draciel answered. Max thought for a moment that this felt strange but he remembered how he and Night – in their imperfect union – spoke and brushed this off. This didn't feel as weird as it had with Night, though. This union was perfect.

"Then try to keep up, my dear brother." She answered, yelling while her blade sped towards Draciel's. Max/Draciel yelled and their blade – in the same amount of speed – went to collide with Dark Draciel's.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

There was a loud booming sound that made the whole castle tremble. The bladers grabbed on to the railings, wondering what in the world was happening. Kaori and Nami helped the twins to not fall while said twins felt like they were ready to fall.

"What was that?" Tyson asked to no one in particular while the castle shook violently once more. He looked up, "Can it be Maxie?"

Kenny consulted Dizzi, pulling up information from her database and then yelled back at the others, "That's definitely Draciel's battle vibrations! Max and Draciel are doing battle against Dark Draciel!"

"We have to get up there and fast!" Kaori said and nearly fell to her weakened knees when she let go of the rail. She cursed, hating her body for being so weak at the moment.

"Kaori's right!" Rick shouted, "Max needs us there to support him."

"Then hold on to the rail and walk," Kai answered, doing just that. He gritted his teeth, "If you don't then you'll miss out on Max beating Dark Draciel." With those words from the mostly silent phoenix blader, they continued onwards.

At the same time, Chaos was floating his chess set to not mess it up while Dark Dranzer was flying, trying to avoid the dangerous vibrations that were rattling Zeus – who did not look happy – and the humans.

"Those two need to relax before they break something!" Dark Dranzer yelled. He had no room to talk, as he would probably burn the place down with his battle against Kai but Chaos kept his mouth shut on that, deciding not to risk the dark phoenix's anger.

"Talk about pent-up frustration." Dark Driger noted, sitting on the ground as if an earthquake wasn't currently going on, "I guess they've finally lost it."

"She's regained some sanity and he's gained some insanity." Chaos said, looking at his beloved chess set. Two chess pieces were facing off against each other, one white and one black and both were knights. He smiled, the smile reflecting his current thoughts, "This is fun."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Max/Draciel panted for breath while their other self did the same. They – Max and Draciel – felt tired and Max's throat felt raw from all the screaming he had done. He wondered if Dark Draciel felt the same way.

Water was floating all around them, sealing them away from the view of others. It was as if they were in another world where only they existed. Their blades were wobbling, reflecting their own current states.

 _"You're not about to quit, are you?"_ Max/Draciel asked between pants, grinning at the tired beast in front of him.

"Ha!" Dark Draciel snorted, pausing for breath before she replied, "I'm just getting warmed up here, Maxie!" The two stood upright, their pants not as loud or ragged. Their blades were across from each other, as if in an old, Western stand-off. The other was just waiting for the other to make the next move.

Suddenly, Dark Draciel's blade sped towards Max's own, the beast's hair standing on end while she screamed. A tower of bright light shot out of the blade as Dark Draciel came out of her blade, showing her true form. Max did the same, Draciel colliding with his other half.

"The two halves of Genbu, light and darkness, finally reunited," Dark Draciel said aloud, letting out a chuckle, "About time, too. I can't believe it's taken centuries for us to finally be together."

 _"We aren't very smart, are we?"_ Max/Draciel chuckled as their true selves wrestled against one another, their blades slamming against each other. Dark Draciel laughed at that, as if agreeing with him. Both of them ignored the pain, the outside world and even their grudges. At this moment, only they existed. And Max felt so happy over it, just as Dark Draciel and Draciel probably felt.

"No, we aren't." She replied, her hair no longer standing on its ends. She stared at Max/Draciel for a moment before laughing, Max joining as well, "Two great entities praised for wisdom are actually big idiots! Ha!" The two weren't sure why they were laughing as if they were friends. They were enemies - _two opposing views_ \- yet it felt as if nothing had ever come between them.

 _"You said it!"_ Max/Draciel said, smiling at her, _"We could've ended this if we had just talked it out, don't you think?"_

"Yeah," She giggled, "But we beasts are the biggest fools of the universe, the puppets of fate's design." She held her sides, "You and I are probably just tragic fools in this story. So, it's time to end this story of the tragic fools, don't you think?"

Max/Draciel nodded, _"We won't be tragic fools after that, don't you think?"_

"Heroic fools. That's what we might be. Besides, that has a better ring to it."

The blades removed themselves from each other, spinning in front of their master. They stared at each other, no hatred or regret in their eyes, only acceptance and happiness. Water began to surround their blades like a vortex, Draciel and Dark Draciel releasing a roar.

" _Genbu's,"_ They both yelled at the same time, their auras glowing a bright purple color, showing that they were going to give it their all into this attack, _"Tsunami Devastation!"_

Both blades crashed together, the sound of their impact echoing loudly throughout the castle while the castle trembled for one final time before everything stopped.

When it stopped, Chaos knocked down one of the knights.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Aya looked up as she saw the sun get brighter. She reached her hand out to reach the hand of the other person. She smiled, seeing it was none other than Max that was pulling her. She felt like crying as she embraced him, burrowing her face in his neck.

' _Is it over?'_

' _Yeah,'_ Max said, hugging her close, _'It's over.'_

Aya burst into tears and was glad that Max didn't tell her to stop. Max didn't even feel awkward that Aya was nude and her breasts were pressing onto his chest. At that moment, Aya and Max were glad it was over.

 _And so, the princess might have a "happily ever after" after all._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"Max!" Tyson yelled as they burst into Dark Draciel's room in time to see Dark Draciel falling off the balcony rail. Max fell too, as if following her. Dark Draciel's blade was motionless while Draciel was wobbling before it came to a stop.

"No! Aya!" Nami yelled while Tyson, Ray and Kai ran to the balcony to look at the falling figures, dodging something dark purple that went inside Dark Draciel's bit-chip.

"Aya!" Max yelled as he fell, seeing Dark Draciel leave the girl's body. Aya was still unconscious, unaware of the lake the two were going to fall into. He twisted himself around in the air, trying to reach for her, "Aya!"

Her eyes opened before she closed them, her hand reaching out for him silently. Max outstretched his own hand and their hands reached each other, intertwined the way their beasts had been.

"Is this how it ends?" Aya asked, opening her eyes and grinning, "Not bad, huh?"

"This isn't the end, you know." Max said, tugging her close and the two embraced, "We have Draciel with us to help."

Aya hummed, "Guess you're right." With that, the two closed their eyes, holding each other, and awaited impact.

Tyson leaned over the edge, eyes wide as he saw the two blondes embracing before they plummeted into the water. He took a step back, "Max . . . Aya . . ."

"They'll be fine," Kai assured Tyson, placing a hand on the other boy's shoulder. Tyson was still looking at the spot where the two had fallen, looking forlorn and not like his usual self. He closed his eyes and smiled and the Tyson Kai knew well returned.

"You're right. Max and Aya will be fine. I believe . . . no, I know they're okay." He turned to look back at the others and then looked up, "What matters now will be defeating our next opponent," He clenched Dragoon tightly in his hands, "It's time for us to end things too, Dragoon."

 _Here we come, Dark Dragoon._

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Dark Draciel and Dark Dranzer are my favorites when it comes to dark bit-beasts' feels. Obviously, right?**

 **Erebus: Yeah.**

 **Night: They are one of your favorite beasts to write, behind Chaos and myself.**

 **Erebus: I'm offended I'm not on the list.**

 **Anime: This took forever to write because I got obsessed in learning how to play chess thanks to my own curiosity. That's what I get for writing Chaos to be so obsessed with chess. Great game. I've beaten the computer twice out of like fifty or more.**

 **Erebus: You suck.**

 **Anime: *glares* Well, that's it for the Dark Draciel chapter. Stay tuned for the Dark Dragoon chapter! See ya!**

 **MIAB chapters left until the END: 6**

 ***As much as I think Aya and Max would make a cute couple, I'm afraid it wasn't meant to be. They're just friends***

 ****Note: A word on soul rooms/mind rooms. They reflect the owner's heart and personality and usually take in the appearance of a place where the owner feels at home. Julia's, for example, is the circus tent, Raul's is a house of mirrors (found in circus's), Shun's is an art studio and Aya's a beach. The other rooms are dark and not described because they have either a) been corrupted by the beast (as it is in Kaori, Nami and Hikaru's cases) or b) the person hasn't decided where their 'home' is (as is the case with Brooklyn and Kai). Just forgot to mention that****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Overlap**

 **Song: Overlap by Kimeru**

 **Preview: The fight of Dark Draciel is finally over. While worried over the fate of Max and Aya, the bladers head off to their next battle against the dark half of Dragoon. What do you mean that Tyson has to fight Chaos? Then who are you going to battle?**


	27. Chapter 26: Overlap

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To the awesome readers that I love and give me motivation to continue. And to Tyson, who is celebrating his unofficial birthday today.**

 **Anime: Dark Dragoon chapter! Hurray because I'm that much closer to giving you feels over Riku, Rin, Dark Dranzer and Chaos.**

 **Tyson: You're not a very good person.**

 **Anime: I'm aware.**

 **Night: We do hope you enjoy this chapter. Tyson will not be blading this chapter (Tyson: Why?) but someone else will.**

 **Erebus: Whatever. Hurry up and enjoy the chapter.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

" _Speaking"_ : Soul bond mode

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **26: Overlap**

 _Dark Dragoon's Arena, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Dark Dragoon was reminiscing. Anyone that knew him would know that was out of character of him but he didn't seem to care. He was remembering the past of the Forsaken Fallen – _his past, her past_ – and smiled at the memories of old.

He was happy living on the Elder's Dimension and never wanted to leave. He only came to Earth after she had asked him for it. He had never been able to say no to her, a power she must be aware she had. Who wouldn't use their hold on someone to sway said person? He knew certain people – _Erebus smiling back at him, his eyes dancing with a secret_ – did it. So, there was no doubt she was doing it to.

He tolerated Earth – _she_ _was there, after all, and he'd follow her to the ends of the known universe_ – and couldn't find things to complain about. The world was beautiful, created from the efforts of Elders and Beasts alike. It was like a work of art. However, the only thing that ruined its beauty were the insects that infested this world – _humans, they were called and they even sounded mediocre_ – but he managed to like them after Chaos had made peace – _she followed every order Chaos gave, like a loyal soldier_ – with them.

He got closer to her, something that made him so happy. She was the only person he actually loved in this world – _he liked Chaos and Night because she did_ – that wasn't his other half. One day, he decided he was going to tell her how he felt about her. He was going to confess to her underneath the Hollow Tree of Life . . . and then Chaos's precious human Sasha was murdered by Erebus.

Chaos was heartbroken and she wanted to help Chaos because they were – _"I do not love Chaos like that, idiot. I can never love him to that point and I know he will not love me like that either."_ – friends. She told him and the others about what they were going to do to the world and he found himself drawn into that ideal world. He started liking Chaos for his ideals, not just because _she_ liked him. The two of them followed Chaos and would follow him to the end of their days.

He had killed about three of the members of Eden's Rapture during their battle. He had felt nothing – _"You crave war and destruction. You love killing," He had been told by Fifteenth, who looked at him with a proud look while Seventeen was crying over some faceless beast that was gone from the world thanks to him_ – but he saw how hurt she had been. He comforted her when her other half didn't.

He remembered the day he decided to confess to her. He had been caught off-guard, thinking of ways to confess, when the sacred spirits surrounded him, pinning him to the ground and sealing him away. He had struggled, knowing she – _"Not her, you bastards! Leave her alone! Let her be free!"_ – was probably next, but it was all in vain.

His last wish before he had been sealed away was to see her again.

And that wish was granted.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" He looked up to see Dark Dranzer walking towards him, his wings no longer out. He was still dressed in his robes but something seemed different about him. Dark Dragoon paused before blinking, finally realizing what was different.

"Hey, when have you had flecks of white in your eyes?" Although no one else would have noticed the white in his irises, Dark Dragoon – _who spent a lot of time looking at those expressive eyes_ – did and, for some reason, it bugged him. His – _her_ – eyes should be completely red like his fiery personality.

Dark Dranzer blinked, a hand reaching for his eyes before stopping, looking very confused "Flecks of white? Do elaborate," Even if that body he was possessing wasn't his, Dark Dranzer looked so cute. He wasn't going to tell him that, Dark Dragoon decided.

"They're like eye freckles, I guess. They're not that noticeable but I just happened to notice them because I'm the one that always looks at your eyes." That was not a good way to express that, he thought with a cringe while Dark Dranzer stared at him with a disturbed expression.

"You sound like such a creep." Dark Dranzer muttered, rolling his eyes, "I can't believe you just said I have eye freckles." He snorted, suppressing a grin, "That's been one of the craziest things you've ever told me. And you've said really dumb things before." He laughed, smiling at him, "Why people think you're some evil maniac with the smarts of a criminal mastermind eludes me. You only say idiotic things."

Dark Dragoon huffed. He'd rather be called dumb than a love-struck fool, that was a fact. He saw Dark Dranzer was facing away from him, the phoenix beast talking about something he didn't want to hear about at the moment. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around the dark phoenix's shoulders, leaning his head on the other's shoulder.

"Hey!" Dark Dranzer asked, feeling an involuntary blush – _"Eden, what are you doing? We're in public!"_ – appear, "What are you-."

"I love you." He announced. Yes, that was nothing like the confession he had planned on saying centuries ago but, hey, it was the 21st century. Saying he'd steal the moon for his love would sound too corny or cheesy, even if it was something he'd be able to do.

"You're joking, right?" Dark Dranzer asked, frozen in place.

"No."

Dark Dranzer was silent. One of his fists was clenched tightly, while the other was raised slightly, wanting to reach out and grab Dark Dragoon's arm. Maybe it was Rin's influence – _a day of laughter, a kiss under the mistletoe, a promise, a ring, tears_ – but this declaration of love almost made him want to cry. How pathetic would that be? Crying after someone confesses their feelings to him.

"You can't be serious, right?" He whispered. He felt other memories besides Rin's – _a promise under the stars, a song of reunion and promises, a kiss, tears and laughter_ – and his eyes widened. Whose memories were those? He leaned closer to the other beast, "So you're-."

"I'm admitting here, you know," Dark Dragoon said aloud, sounding annoyed, "The least you can do is respond."

Dark Dranzer placed his hand on one of Dark Dragoon's arms, now frowning, "You better not have said this because you think you're going to lose, you bastard. If that's the case, I won't consider it a love confession."

"Nah, that's not it," The beast taking over Hiro's body answered, although he wasn't going to say that was one of the reasons for him finally confessing, "It's just been long overdue, you know?"

" _So be safe and do not forget your promise to reunite with me. I will be waiting, after all."_

Who were those memories from? Dark Dranzer shook the memory away – _a sky littered with glittering stars overlooking an equally glittering city_ – and turned around to look at Dark Dragoon, "Is that so?" He smiled, unfurling his wings and wrapping them around Dark Dragoon protectively, "Then tell it to me after you win, okay?"

"What, you're not going to take my confession to heart?" Dark Dragoon asked, frowning down at the person he'd move Heaven and Hell for. Dark Dranzer smirked, sticking out his tongue at him, "You're the worst person to fall in love with, Suzaku."

"I'm aware." Dark Dranzer said, releasing his hold on Dark Dragoon, "So, are you ready? After Dark Draciel, I-we were worried over you." He took out his blade, seeing it shake and frowning, "Especially because you want to take them on like the fool you are."

"I think I am brave, not foolish." Dark Dragoon muttered, looking up. He closed his eyes, feeling his other half approaching them and opened them, "Say, Chaos is going to have to battle him. Is he cool with that?"

"It doesn't matter, really." Dark Dranzer answered, stretching and putting his, "So long as you defeat them, Chaos will not have to fight Tyson. It'll be good for all of us, don't you think?"

Dark Dragoon nodded. He felt a pang in his heart and frowned. Hiro was screaming inside his cage and it was getting annoying. He wondered if Dark Dranzer and Dark Driger were feeling the same thing with their tamers.

"The sooner we win, the sooner we can deal with their reappearance." Dark Dragoon stated and smiled at Dark Dranzer, "After that, I'll give you a proper confession. The one you deserve."

Dark Dranzer did _not_ blush at that and whoever said he had blushed was crazy. He only rolled his eyes at his companion, "Whatever. I'll be watching your match to see if you will uphold your promise."

"I appreciate that."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Outside Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

In the lake of this odd dimension, two blondes – Max and Aya – were unconscious, being held down by the plants living in it. Fish swam next to them but did nothing to disturb them. Max opened his eyes and noticed that Aya was still holding onto him, although the girl was out cold. His eyes glowed purple as he connected himself with Draciel before the plants let them go and he swam to the surface.

Once he reached the surface, Max coughed, spitting out the water that had managed to come into his lungs. Aya began to cough too, her wet hair covering her face. She moved it out of the way, "Of all the times for Draciel and Dark Draciel to leave us, it had to be when we plummeted into a lake." She shook her head and looked up, "We fell from a high distance."

"You think?" Max asked before they both went to the lake's shore, collapsing once they reached it. They both were greedily sucking in air into their lungs, lying on their backs as they realized how lucky they were that the fall had not killed them.

"I'm cold."

"The lake was freezing. The dress isn't helping you." Max noted, also shivering. Aya hummed, looking at the setting sun. Max noticed it too. How long had they been in this world? Three, four days? It can't have been that long in Earth but the time here was too different.

"We'll have to catch up to the others." Aya said, trying to get to her feet but falling. She let out a frustrated growl, "Damn, I can't even get up? Stupid Dark Draciel." She paused, seeing a patch of her bangs were now white. Her eyes widened, "Why did it turn like this?"

"Dark Draciel must have put too much strain on your body," Max replied, combing his fingers through his hair, "I don't have any white hairs, do I?" Aya shook her head and Max let out a sigh of relief. He did not want to explain to his parents why his hair had more white than theirs.

"Mom will think it's a fashion statement," Aya decided. She looked up at the sky and smiled, "I could've sworn Dark Draciel was smiling while she was being sealed away. Do you think she's happy, wherever she is?"

Max thought about the bright, beautiful place that had been Night's prison for centuries. He thought about how Night had been – not psychotic but calm and happy – and smiled. In her prison, Dark Draciel would not be plagued with thoughts of betrayal, sadness or hatred. She was at peace, for the first time in centuries. The thought made him and Draciel happy.

"Yeah. I bet she's really happy."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Dark Dragoon's Arena, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

No one was sure what to expect as they walked into Dark Dragoon's chamber. After all, they had entered Dark Draciel's and were met with Max and Aya falling from the balcony so they were tense to see what they were going to encounter.

Tyson opened the door and paused, seeing Dark Dragoon and Dark Dranzer speaking in hushed tones. They were like that for a moment before Dark Dranzer's eyes met his and he cleared his throat, "It seems we have visitors, love."

Dark Dragoon turned to him and Tyson was struck by how much Dark Dragoon looked like Hiro. Dark Dragoon had his hair loose – _Hiro always kept it in a ponytail like their grandfather_ – and it was a dark blue color – _like royal blue, opposite to Hiro's light blue hair_. His eyes were orange – _nothing like Hiro's brown orbs_ – and seemed to be glowing, as if he was showing that he was nothing like a human. He was dressed in a black kimono that made him look like a rogue samurai, almost as if he was mocking the Granger family.

"Welcome, Tyson, Dragoon. And everyone else," Dark Dragoon said, as if dismissing a child. Everyone – except Shun – frowned at him, ready to snap the beast in two. Tyson took a deep breath and took a step forward, only for a big gust of wind to blow him up to the ceiling.

"Tyson!" Kai yelled as his rival flew into the air, only to be caught by none other than Dark Dranzer.

"Hey, Ty." Dark Dranzer said, using Rin's voice – knowing that it would hurt him – while winking at the boy in his arms. Tyson squirmed in Dark Dranzer's arms, making the beast tut, "Now, now, we'll have to hold you down like this. Otherwise, you'll use the part of Night's soul that's in your heart to help your friends win."

"What?" Tyson asked while the question rang in everyone else's head.

Dark Dragoon smirked cruelly at him and Tyson shuddered. That look was a look that just seemed wrong in his older brother's face. He wanted to get rid of it because Hiro should _never_ have that look in his face when looking at him. "Tyson," He sighed before gesturing towards his friends, "didn't you think it's weird that someone like Mathilda was able to defeat Hecate on her own? Weird that the rock-type beast Rick controls created light? Or that Hikaru was able to come out of his deep prison?"

Tyson paused, remembering all the times in battle when he had felt a tug in his chest, as if something was getting out, and something happened that benefited his friends. There was no way that it had been Night, right? He remembered, however, that moment during Gaea's torture when Night had appeared to him. Has Night been with him since that moment?

"It's sinking in, isn't it?" Dark Dranzer asked before addressing everyone, "All of your victories so far have been flukes. You would've lost had the piece of Night's soul not interfered. Hades must have sensed it so he fought against the boy Zeo alone and Dark Draciel noticed it too."

"Flukes?" Tyson was set on the ground by Dark Dranzer, who placed his hands on the navy haired boy's shoulders. Dark Dranzer smirked at Kai, who glared at the beast. Seeing the tamer of his other half getting so protective over Tyson was adorable.

"Yeah. Not this time." Dark Dragoon turned to the other bladers, "I have no interest in fighting Dragoon and Tyson while a part of Night resides in the boy. That is why the honor shall go to Chaos. So, I will choose my opponents."

"And who will that be?" Kaori asked, glancing at everyone. This had not been part of their plan and they were at a loss on how to proceed. Shun looked worriedly at all the bladers present while Hikaru glared at Dark Dragoon.

Dark Dragoon hummed and raised his hand. His index finger pointed at Daichi while he stared at the red-headed boy with malice, "You and your mixed beast and . . ." his finger wandered and they all stiffened while he glanced at all of his options. He frowned as if he was sensing something before he pointed at his other chosen opponent.

"Me?!" Kenny asked, clutching Dizzi close to his chest, while the others stiffened. Kenny felt too small, felt as if Dark Dragoon was too big of a target to fight against. Daichi didn't seem to mind the challenge but Kenny was terrified. He couldn't do this. He wasn't-.

" _You have a lot of potential, Kenny. Why keep it hidden?"_

Kenny paused, remembering when Night had helped him achieve the soul bond. Night, one of the strongest beasts in existence, had said that _he_ had potential. He had said that _Kenny Saien_ had the potential to be great. That had to mean something, right?

'Let's do it, Chief.' Dizzi said, a glow emanating from the laptop. Kenny smiled at the supportiveness of the laptop, deciding he was not going to let anyone down. Not his friends, not Dizzi and especially not Night. He was going to show Dark Dragoon to not mess with him.

"Step forward, Daichi, Kenny," Dark Dragoon said while he took out his blade. Kaori and Kenny analyzed it quickly, determining it to be a left-spinning attack-based blade like Dragoon's with a dark blue color scheme. He took his launcher and ripcord while assuming a starting position.

"Let's do this, Chief! Let's show 'em that we mean business!" Daichi said, taking out Strata Dragoon and loading it. He readied himself, standing across from Dark Dragoon. Kenny gulped and did the same, Hopper's bit glowing as he felt Dizzi's power run through his veins.

"Three, two, one!"

"Let it rip!"

The three blades all clashed in mid-air, blast waves pushing the three slightly back. Daichi grinned at Dark Dragoon, "You even feel like Dragoon! Man, this will be easy! It's like I'm battling Tyson!"

"Since when have you been able to beat me and Dragoon?" Tyson asked, an eyebrow raised in question. Daichi ignored the comment and sped towards Dark Dragoon. Kenny, on the other half, analyzed the battlefield and tried to come up with a strategy, Dizzi helping him out with it.

"Don't you dare compare me to my pitiful other half," Dark Dragoon said, his tone smooth but his eyes glaring, promising hell to pay. He turned his blade to attack Kenny and was promptly surprised when the blade jumped out of the way, "That's new."

"A bouncing blade?" Dark Dranzer asked, looking extremely confused. Tyson almost laughed at the two ancient beasts if he wasn't being held hostage by one of them. Had they not taken into account Hopper? Ha, then this was going to be fun.

"Strata Dragoon, Earth Reaper!" Daichi said and Kenny saw a golden aura surround him and his blade. A bright light shot out of the blade, Strata Dragoon appearing. However, Kenny was surprised to see a young man – identical to Daichi – hanging onto Strata Dragoon.

Strata Dragoon was suddenly rushing towards Dark Dragoon. Kenny expected Dark Dragoon to dodge but was surprised when Strata Dragoon actually connected with the blade, getting the blade airborne. Then he saw Dark Dragoon smirk.

"Move, Daichi!" Kenny said, sending Hopper to slam into Strata Dragoon. Daichi was about to complain when he saw dark clouds around Dark Dragoon's blade. Dark Dragoon's eyes were glowing and Daichi decided that was not a good sign.

"Illusion Chaotic Storm."

Tyson recognized that attack as the one that had incapacitated him and Brooklyn all those weeks ago and was tense as he saw that lightning thing connect with its target. Kenny and Daichi screamed as their blades were hit with the lightning.

" _That hurts!" Daisuke yelled, glaring at Dark Dragoon. The male smirked while Dark Dranzer rolled her eyes at the dark dragon. The red head was on the floor, Dragoon trying to help him up._

" _That was too strong for a human to take, brother," Dragoon said in a scolding tone, "You could have killed him."_

" _My attack does not kill humans. It only knocks them out. Beasts, on the other hand,"_

Daichi held his head, wondering where that memory came from while he got up from the ground. Kenny was on his feet, although he looked ready to fall. Their blades were wobbling, no doubt reeling from the attack that Dark Dragoon had just delivered.

"I take that back," Daichi muttered, "This is not going to be easy."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

"I cannot believe bouncing blades exist. You humans are out there." Chaos muttered, playing around with his black knight, circling a bishop and a pawn. He chuckled, although the reason why eluded Zeus and the others.

"Kenny," Ming-Ming clenched her hands together, "Daichi, you can win."

"I would say there was no chance of that," Dark Driger said, tossing his blade into the air before catching it. He was silent before he spoke, "However, that boy's potential is troubling. He doesn't have the strength of the other bladers but he has a power that rivals Ann's."

"Power?" Oliver asked then paused when he saw Chaos change the white pawn into a white rook. His eyes seemed to widen with realization, "You mean to tell me that Kenny-."

"Kenny Saien has been able to see our auras and true forms ever since he sealed Black Dranzer, a feat that is pretty impressive. Night recognized that ability in that boy," Dark Driger announced, "and it seems that is not the extent of his innate power. It seems Ann is not the only human gifted with the power to house multiple beasts." He sighed, "And I thought Ray and the others were powerful. Their gifts must be that much powerful."

"Kenny Saien," Chaos said, holding the white rook in his hand, interrupting Dark Driger, "has been a gift to the humans with his brilliance." He let out a small chuckle, "I wonder how you'll be able to handle a boy like that, Dark Dragoon. Handling Daisuke's descendant would've been easy. A boy blessed with Seventeen's brilliance? You will not be amused by the results, old friend."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Dark Dragoon's Arena, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

The match continued as a game of cat and mouse. Dark Dragoon was the cat and Dizzi/Hopper and Strata Dragoon were the mice. Every hit the two took felt as if they were the ones being torn apart, rather than their blades.

Kenny gulped, "Daichi, I got a plan."

"About time, Chief!" Daichi yelled at the other boy, narrowly dodging Dark Dragoon's blade. Strata Dragoon hissed at Dark Dragoon, who had come out of his bit-chip and revealed himself to being a dragon identical to Dragoon but darker in shade.

"Daichi, let him hit you!"

Everyone stared at Kenny with an extremely confused look, even Dark Dranzer and Dark Dragoon. Daichi turned on the genius, his face showing exactly what he thought about the idea, "Are you insane?!"

"Trust me!" Kenny said, Dark Dragoon missing Hopper when it bounced out of his reach. Daichi was ready to tell the Chief off but decided to trust in the other boy's genius. Dark Dragoon's blade connected with Strata Dragoon's, making Daichi hiss in pain. Tyson then saw Hopper slam into Dark Dragoon, sending the blade flying.

"Whoa!" Dark Dragoon said, flinching, "How did you-?"

"It's just like when I fought Tala," Kenny said, grinning at seeing how well his plan had gone, "Just like Wolborg is vulnerable after its attack, you temporary lose control of your blade after an attack. I wasn't sure but this just proved it."

"Not bad," Dark Dranzer praised the brunette, Dark Dragoon glaring at his partner.

"Way to go, Chief!" Daichi said. He was wondering why in the world Dark Dragoon had so little control over his blade like that. Even amateurs had better control over their blades after a simple attack.

' _It must be Hiro Granger.'_

Daichi glanced at his partner that had spoken. He looked back at Dark Dragoon and thought about it. Hiro was no pushover and was an excellent blader. From the way Hecate had bladed – too similar to Julia's blading style – Daichi inferred that the Forsaken Fallen bladed like their tamers did based on memories. Out of all the tamers, Hiro was the best blader so he wouldn't have such an obvious weakness. So, that meant that Hiro really was interfering with Dark Dragoon.

"Thank you, Hiro." Daichi muttered, too low for Dark Dragoon to hear.

' _Daichi, let me help you.'_ A voice that was not Strata Dragoon whispered and Tyson saw the young blader's eyes turn a bright golden while the tip of Daichi's red hair turned golden. Dark Dragoon immediately glared, Kenny seeing a dark blue aura surround him.

"The wretched human and the darling of the Elders, Daisuke."

"Kinda." He responded, his voice overlapping with Daichi's and another voice that must have been Strata Dragoon's, "I am Daichi, Daisuke and Strata Dragoon, all in one. Although, you all knew about that, Dark Dragoon of the Forsaken Fallen." His eyes glowed, "We have to end this."

"Is that so?"

Daichi/Strata Dragoon nodded and turned to Kenny, the boy in complete awe over the glowing aura surrounding Daichi, "Chief, we're going to need you and Dizzi for this, got it?"

"Y-Yeah!"

'Let's do this, Chief! Just like we practiced!' Dizzi said and Hopper began to glow. Daichi/Strata Dragoon looked at it with pride before they turned to face Dark Dragoon. The blue dragon paused and glanced back at Dark Dranzer. He smiled and mouthed something that made both Dark Dranzer and Tyson freeze.

Dark Dragoon's blade flew into the air before it vanished amidst a cloud of darkness. The beast's hair stood on end, "Anarchic Dusk Tempest!" The blade started to land, heading straight for Hopper.

The golden aura around Daichi grew stronger while his blade turned a bright gold color. The blade stopped moving, spinning in one spot while energy ripples came out of it. He looked up, a pillar of light shooting out from the blade, "Golden Reverberation!"

"Divine Dive!" Kenny yelled as he noticed a bright purple aura – too bright to be confused for Max's when he used Draciel's power – surround him. Hopper jumped into the air, surrounded by a bright light that headed straight for Dark Dragoon.

Kenny and Dark Dragoon screamed as their blades finally connected, the two spinning at trying to get the opponent's blade to stop spinning. The blast wave knocked everyone back, except for the bladers that had caused it. Kenny's glasses cracked and flew out of their spot on his head.

"Seiryu!" Dark Dranzer cried out, a tear escaping one of his eyes, running towards the dark dragon. At that moment, Hopper knocked Dark Dragoon to the ground, only for Strata Dragoon to finish the job, sending the blade flying while the blast waves began to tear it apart.

"I'm sorry, Suzaku." Dark Dragoon muttered as he fell to his knees and fell backwards, only to be caught by Dark Dranzer. The attack of the beasts subsided, leaving a destroyed Dark Dragoon, a wobbly Strata Dragoon that promptly stopped spinning and a still jumping Hopper. Daichi fell to his knees, Strata Dragoon cutting away their connection, panting for breath while Kenny fell on his back.

In a room not too far away, Chaos knocked down the black knight.

"W-We did it?" Kenny asked, his voice shaky.

'We did it, Chief!' Dizzi said, confirming the brunette's statement. Kenny laughed, voice still shaky, while Daichi looked at the male across from them.

Dark Dranzer held Dark Dragoon in his arms and watched with a hint of sorrow as the beast returned to its bit, abandoning Hiro's body. His dark blue hair turned light blue while his pale face gained color. He closed his eyes and placed Hiro on the ground. He gave Kai a glance before materializing his torn wings. He took flight, leaving the room through the balcony.

"Hiro!" Tyson yelled, running towards his brother. He kneeled down to look at his brother – _how long had it been since he had seen him?_ – and smiled with visible happiness when Hiro finally opened his eyes.

"Hey, Tyson. What did I miss?" He asked. Tyson did not want to cry at his brother's tone. He hadn't heard Hiro's voice have that level of fondness in almost a year. He wrapped his arms around his older brother, Hiro doing the same.

"Sorry, Ty. For everything," The words he should've said so long ago finally came out in that moment. Tyson just held him tighter, a smile working his way into his expression. It seems things were looking up.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: I have already expressed my love for Kenny before, haven't I? No? Well, here's the chapter where I show how much I like the Chief. He's probably the most underestimated member of the G-Revolutions/Bladebreakers/BBA Revolution but my family loves him and thinks he should've had a more important role in the show.**

 **Erebus: Nerd power, Anime?**

 **Night: Good work, Kenny, Daichi, Dizzara and Strata Dragoon! Hope you all enjoyed Tyson's birthday!**

 **Anime: Now, Ray will step it up next chapter! Until then, see ya in chapter 27!**

 **MIAB chapters left until the END: 5**

 ****I finally got my Dark Dragoon x Dark Dranzer moment! In other news, sorry Dark Dranzer****

 ****Kenny has had potential from the start, if anyone's noticed. I mean, his fight against Tala in G-Revolution was one of the highlights of the season.****

 ****My chess and solitaire addiction are getting out of hand. Couple that with a new book series I'm reading (the Demonata saga by the great Darren Shan), Lab Rats (one of the good Disney XD shows) and Sekaiichi Hatsukoi (my first and favorite yaoi anime) and that's why this chapter was almost late.****

 ****Happy Thanksgiving, everyone (if you celebrate it, that is)****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Again**

 **Song: Again by Yui**

 **Preview: Fast approaching the final battle with Chaos, the opponent our heroes are facing off against is none other than Dark Driger. While Driger and Dark Driger fight, the unfortunate Ray and Riku are caught in the middle. Riku, what's wrong? Riku-**


	28. Chapter 27: Again

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors (?), torture, death (not to worry, it's just here just in case), a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To the awesome readers that I love and give me motivation to continue. You guys are the real heroes. And to Rin Mizushima, who is celebrating his birthday today. I would say happy birthday but . . . Oops.**

 **Anime: Woohoo! Chapter 27! I finally made it! A year ago, I was barely in Chapter 10.**

 **Rin: And this is relevant to the chapter how?**

 **Dark Dranzer: Don't ask her questions. She'll talk more.**

 **Anime: You suck. In other news, apparently Borderline and MIAB are ending around the same time. That's crazy. . .**

 **Chaos: Shhhh. To the chapter, everyone.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

" _Speaking"_ : Soul bond mode

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **27: Again**

 _Dark Driger's Arena, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Dark Driger wanted to kill someone and he hoped that certain someone was Dark Dragoon, even if that bastard was sealed away. He had been minding his own business in his room, waiting for those humans, when Dark Dranzer had flown in and holed himself in one of the corners. Even though he couldn't hear it, he knew the phoenix was crying.

Stupid Dark Dragoon. He must have failed, otherwise Dark Dranzer wouldn't be crying. If he could, he'd wring that dragon's neck, even if he knew that Dark Dranzer wouldn't appreciate it.

"Why are you crying for him?" He asked, making the phoenix pause and turn to face him. As he had predicted, Dark Dranzer was crying and that made his heart hurt. He clenched one of his hands in anger, "Would you cry that hard for anyone else?"

"Yeah, I would," Dark Dranzer said, wiping away his tears.

"Really?" Dark Driger asked, feeling some hope in his heart, "Who?"

"Chaos," Dark Dranzer answered, the other beast feeling like he needed to strangle Chaos just as he needed to strangle Dark Dragoon. He must be as selfish as Erebus to be thinking about such a thing. Chaos was a great person, after all.

"That's it?" Dark Driger asked, looking at Dark Dranzer. He hated this feeling of jealousy. Jealousy corrupted beasts, especially when that horrible emotion was mixed in with that unnecessary emotion known as love. The Erebus-Chaos-Sasha disaster had taught them all that. So the fact that he was feeling like this made him think about how foolish he was.

"Who else would I cry for?"

 _Me._

Dark Dranzer took a deep breath, "You're right, though." He stretched, blinking away unwanted tears, "Crying over that idiot is useless. What is it going to do? Crying does nothing but make me tired." He retracted his wings and Dark Driger already thought how weird it was for this proud phoenix to not be displaying his wings.

"You're right about that. But . . ."

Dark Dranzer raised an eyebrow, "But what?"

Dark Driger looked down, not wanting to show, "Would you cry for me?"

The room was oddly silent. Dark Dranzer was quiet for a long moment before laughing loudly. Dark Driger felt something snap. Before he could help it, a bolt of lightning hit Dark Dranzer square in the chest. Dark Driger flinched, realizing that he had not held back. Dark Dranzer yelled in shock, flying into the wall before falling to the ground. He glared up at Dark Driger, feeling as if his whole body was being continuously submitted to an electric torture, "Why the hell did you-?"

 _Rin fell into a pit of darkness while darkness consumed the boy's soul room. Darkness that didn't belong to Dark Dranzer surrounded him, wrapping itself around the boy's body. He tried to bat the darkness before the darkness began to take away his light. He cried out, 'Suzaku!'_

Dark Dranzer paused when he heard two voices – one of them was definitely Rin's while the other voice sounded familiar – screaming in his head, both sounding like they were in pain. He yelled, holding his head. Dark Driger paused, suddenly afraid. Had he really hurt him? He kneeled in front of Dark Dranzer, "Are you okay? Dark Dranzer-."

"He's gone." Dark Dranzer said, eyes wide and looking haunted. He held his forehead, trying to find Rin within the confines of his soul room, "Rin's voice, it-it's gone." His mind felt so cold, Rin's light vanishing rapidly, "Cold, cold, it's too cold. I don't understand. Did your dark lightning hurt Rin more than me?" He was about to start when he was enveloped in a hug, Dark Driger not knowing why he had done so.

"Hey," Dark Dranzer asked, suddenly remembering the last time he had been hugged, "Don't go declaring your undying love for me. If you do, you're the second person to do so and I'm going to be wondering how everyone is suddenly in love with me."

Dark Driger blushed, suddenly feeling like the shy Riku, "Um, surprise."

"Fuck. First Dark Dragoon and now you? What am I, the next Chaos?" Dark Dranzer asked, standing up after making Dark Driger let him go. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair, "So this is how Chaos must have felt when Sasha, Night, Erebus and Hecate turned out to love him. I refuse to be the next Chaos."

"I heard that," Chaos muttered, appearing next to them. He smirked, looking at the final two members of the Forsaken Fallen. He then smacked Dark Dranzer upside the head, the dark phoenix crying out in pain, "Don't make fun of my love life, Dark Dranzer. It's not my fault that my fate epically sucks."

"What are you doing here?" Dark Driger asked, turning away from Chaos. He looked upset, although neither Chaos nor Dark Dranzer saw his expression, something he was glad for.

"Sorry to break this up. Your declaration love was executed horribly compared to Dark Dragoon and he was already bad," Chaos sighed, shaking his head, Dark Dranzer blushing indignantly because Chaos must have been spying in on his moment with Dark Dragoon, "My love life sucks but at least the confessions I got were a bit romantic."

Dark Driger frowned, looking at Chaos in confusion, "Didn't Erebus confess to you by giving you Sasha's eyeballs before he proceeded to stab you in the chest because you rejected him and then he kidnapped Daisuke while, at the same time, he began to threaten you that he'd try to stab Night and declared war on the Elders, you and the other beasts?"

Chaos paused, remembering that the most violent of his suitors had been the only that had actually said his feelings to him in a straight-forward manner, "At least it had an impact."

"You're insane," Dark Dranzer said, pointing at Chaos, "and I don't want anyone to love me. Not when Rin's gone and there was someone else that screamed inside the soul room that wasn't him and-."

"Calm down, Dark Dranzer," Chaos grabbed the phoenix, staring into the other's eyes as this was an easy way to calm the phoenix down if he got to agitated. Suddenly, Chaos took a step back, shocked, "When did your eyes stop being completely red, Dark Dranzer?"

The beast tried to reach out for his eyes once again before stopping, both Dark Driger and Chaos looking deep into Dark Dranzer's eyes. His red eyes that once had flecks of white were now rimmed with blue while the white flecks were bigger and more noticeable, as if he had sectoral heterochromia.

"This is a problem." Dark Dranzer muttered, "Chaos, I think _he_ is inside Rin's heart too." Chaos was silent, looking away and glancing down at his hands. He looked up to face him, although he looked desolate.

"We'll deal with this problem later, once Dark Driger beats Ray and Driger." Chaos answered, turning to look at the tiger holy beast, smiling at Dark Driger to encourage him, "I know you'll win. You were always stronger than your other half, after all."

Dark Driger nodded, smirking, "You're right, Chaos." He turned to Dark Dranzer, "I will destroy the humans in order to protect you."

"As I once told Dark Dragoon, I am _not_ a damsel in distress," Dark Dranzer sighed, running a hand through his hair once more to show his agitated state of mind, "So don't treat me like one. Just win." He headed towards the window and jumped out of the window. Torn red wings sprouted from his back and then took to the skies, heading to his room.

"You're honestly crushing on that?" Chaos asked before laughing, "You and Dark Dragoon sure have an odd taste. I can't really blame you both, though, because I know how it is." He looked up and smiled, "Don't give up on him. You and Dark Dragoon both know he's worth it."

"Yeah. No need for you to tell me that."

Chaos vanished, going back to attend to the humans and his chess game, leaving Dark Driger alone in his room. Dark Driger sighed, looking out the window to look at the sky that reminded him of Dark Dranzer, giving him hope that he could defeat Ray and Driger. His legs buckled all of a sudden and he gave out a surprised yelp, falling on his knees.

He frowned, staring at his legs that were too numb, "This isn't good. My tamer's body is weakening too quickly; the damage I did to make him fall was too much." He closed his eyes, touching his chest to hear the heartbeat, the only thing he truly shared with Riku.

"Riku."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

It was a white, padded room. He wondered if the world was playing a cruel trick on him for making this his soul room. Riku hated the feeling of a straight-jacket wrapped around him – _"This way, you won't hurt anyone, Ri-Ri,"_ – so it was torturous that his soul room was like this.

' _Why?'_ Riku asked, knowing no one would listen. He buried his face into his knees, as he had drawn them in, a position he had favored during his time in his prison. He could hear voices outside his cell, all of them mocking him.

' _You're a disgrace to the Kuonji family.'_

' _Keep him in his room. Don't want anyone to find out that thing is my child.'_

' _You're the brat Rai and Taishi gave birth to? Ha. They should've aborted you.'_

' _No one wants a creepy kid like you that doesn't cry.'_

' _If we throw him down the stairs, do you think he's going to cry?'_

Riku whimpered, drawing himself into a smaller ball, the hateful comments of his family members reminding him why he had gone mad – _I was mad before the Forsaken Fallen took me from my first Hell_ – in the first place. He wanted to cover his ears but the straight-jacket prevented him from doing so. He hated this so much.

' _You are a useless child!'_

' _The Kuonji boy is so freaky.'_

' _It would've been better if you had never been found.'_

' _Why did those kidnappers spare your life?'_

' _No one wants you, Riku Kuonji, king of freaks!'_

Riku screamed, as if that would keep the voices away from him. If he had not been wearing the straight-jacket, he would have probably tried to rip his ears out. Anything, so long as the hurtful voices stopped. Still, he knew that the effort would've been in vain. After all, these words constantly plagued his mind.

' _Ray, Tyson, Kai, Max,'_ He whispered, _'please help me.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Max and Aya half-ran, half-limped up the stairs. The two were panting hard, leaning on each other while they tried to not fall down. They had made it up to the fourth floor – Gaea's floor – without falling or resting. They were on their way to the fifth floor when Max fell to his knees, Aya falling down with him.

"Are you okay?" Aya asked, seeing how tired Max appeared to be. He nodded, although his ragged breath spoke of another story. She sat down in the staircase, "How about a short break?"

"We need to catch up to the others, Aya," Max answered.

Aya shook her head, "No, we need to rest. The others are going to be caught up in a beybattle while we'll do nothing but walk up these stairs. So shut up and catch your breath." She laid back on the uncomfortable stairs, "My legs hurt."

Max was about to protest when he saw Aya's glare, the white streak of her hair covering one of her eyes and making her look scarier. Max sighed, giving up and deciding to just rest.

The guys could wait, after all.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Dark Driger's Arena, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

They had finally reached Dark Driger's door. Ray had his blade clenched in his hands, anticipating the worst. Behind those doors, Dark Driger was waiting for him and they'd battle to decide their fates and Riku's. He placed hand on the doors, thinking about how Riku – who had feared returning to the darkness – was fairing.

 _Riku, I will save you._

Ray pushed open the double doors, the arena he was fighting coming into view, everyone else tensing as they got their first look of Dark Driger, the beast that was possessing Riku.

Dark Driger had shoulder-length white hair with black highlights that looked like the stripes a tiger would have. His eyes were cat-like and golden that were rimmed with black. He was dressed in a white robe with a black sash that resembled Chaos's attire. He glanced at them before grinning, showing them his white fangs.

"I've been waiting for you," Dark Driger said, giving them a mock bow. He smiled at Ray, "Hello, Driger, Ray. You've been the ones I've been anxious to meet." He glanced at Tyson and, for a second, saw Night standing in the boy's place. He blinked and Tyson was back.

Night's influence in Tyson's heart was getting stronger. He resembled the dead beast more and more by the day. He thought about how Chaos would react to that and he frowned at that thought. No need for distractions then.

"Look out!" Shun yelled, launching himself at Tyson and the two fell, narrowly missing the lightning bolt that had been launched at the blunette. Shun and Tyson both glared at the beast.

"What the hell was that for?" Tyson asked, as he sat up.

"You and the fragment of Night's soul that you have in your heart are a menace." Dark Driger answered, lifting his hand, "I need to get rid of you, for all of our sakes, especially Chaos's."

A bolt of lightning struck the ground next to Dark Driger, who frowned up at the one who had shot it. It had been none other than Ray, who's eyes were more cat-like than usual, his ears were slightly pointed while there were white stripes on his hair. He frowned at Dark Dragoon.

" _They're not your enemy."_ Ray/Driger spoke, taking out Driger's blade and a launcher, _"I am. This is between you and me."_

"It always is, isn't it, my brother?" Dark Driger answered, smirking at the challenge that battling his other half would be. He ran a hand through his hair, "This time, though, Ray and Riku are caught in the middle. What unfortunate humans." He materialized his blade and launcher.

" _Sorry, Third,"_ Ray/Driger muttered, getting into a battle position like his other half, _"your foolish children shall do battle again. Chew us out later, okay?"_

Without doing a countdown, the two bladers launched their blades.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Third was about to yell at Fifteenth to go fuck himself – probably not a good idea, now that he thought about it – when she heard the distant clash of two blades. She paused, reaching out instinctively towards her heart. Dark Driger and Driger were fighting now. She could feel it.

"Third, are you okay?" First asked, seeing the other female Elder go silent. Third looked up at her and First must have sensed what was wrong with her because she replied, "No matter who wins, whether it be light or darkness, the broken halves of Byakko will still love each other."

Third smiled, "I hope so."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Dark Driger's Arena, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

"This battle just got crazy." Kaori said, everyone looking at the battle as the blades were battling, using the whole room as their arena, while Dark Driger and Ray/Driger dodged physical attacks and bolts of lightning. Dark Driger and Ray/Driger both gave out a battle cry before their punches met, lightning crackling in the middle of them. They separated, sending more bolts of lightning to attack their other half while their blades slammed against each other.

"Do you think that Max and Dark Draciel fought like this?" Kenny asked, in awe at the combination of a physical battle and a beybattle. Dizzi was just as impressed, although she didn't say anything. The raw energy between the two bladers was amazing, their light and darkness opposing and completing each other.

"This might be how the rest of the matches will be like, Chief." Tyson muttered. He turned to face Kai, "Our battles will be just as intense as this, Kai. Maybe more, as Dark Dranzer and Chaos will know that we're strong."

"No, they won't," Dark Driger yelled back at them as he dodged Ray's kicks.

"Why's that?" Tyson asked, still angry at how the dark beast had tried to kill him. He pointed at the beast, "Do you think we're not going to go all out?"

"That's not it, fool," Dark Driger answered, throwing small bolts of lightning at Ray, that stung Ray and Driger, "I'm just not going to let you pass through me." His eyes narrowed with anger, "No one's going to hurt Suzaku ever again if I can stop it. I can't lose him to you or to Dark Dragoon!"

Tyson stared at the beast in shock, realizing that the Forsaken Fallen had a big issue regarding love triangles and unrequited loves. He wasn't the only one that noticed, as Kai looked as shocked as he did. The others, though, were wondering what the hell Dark Driger was talking about.

" _Don't ignore me!"_ Driger/Ray yelled, landing a punch on Dark Driger's face while his blade slammed harshly against his other half's. He paused, seeing something in his mind-.

 _Riku was sobbing, slamming his head harshly against the wall while screaming, harsh words dancing around the white room. Riku looked so miserable-._

"I should say the same thing!" Dark Driger answered, kicking Ray in the gut, sending the boy flying. Ray/Driger didn't have time to catch their breath as they had to dodge a lightning bolt.

' _What was that? Why did I see Riku in that room?'_ Ray asked his partner as he maneuvered his blade to slam into Dark Driger's in rapid precision, the beast hissing at the onslaught.

' _We must have seen into his soul room when we attacked Dark Driger,'_ Driger said, frowning as he thought about the poor boy that was trapped in a soul bubble and forced to relive his tragedies.

Ray thought back to how tortured and haunted Riku had looked like when he had taken a peek at the soul room. He growled before launching himself at Dark Driger, his blade mimicking his actions.

" _Driger, Rapid Lightning Strike!"_ Beast and tamer yelled, as a bright light emerged from his blade, Driger leaping out of his bit-chip and roaring at his other half before lightning gathered around Driger's blade and began to slam into Dark Driger's blade, too fast for anyone to see. Dark Driger yelled in pain, falling to his knees as he could see no way for him to dodge Driger's attack.

With every hit, Ray could see more images of Riku's injured self, sobbing in a small little ball as he was in obvious pain. He reached out for Riku, although it was probably in vain, while Driger focused their energy on their attacks, _'Riku, I'm going to save you!'_

Dark Driger's eyes widened as he heard Ray's voice echo in his mind while he saw Riku look around for the source of the voice. How had he managed to sneak into Riku's soul prison – not his soul room; that room wasn't his soul room – when he had made sure to keep it in a lock?

 _Gotta finish this fast and win._ Dark Dranzer – _his Suzaku_ – needed him to win.

The tips of Dark Driger's fingers began to gather electricity. Kai immediately recognized the move – remembered Rin's screams – and was about to mention it when he saw light surround Ray, the boy surrounded by cracking lightning. The only one that could see Driger's green aura that was causing all of this gathering of energy was Kenny, who was in awe.

Dark Driger burst out of his bit-chip, roaring as if challenging his brother. Dark Driger jumped up, hands in the air as it created a lightning bolt in his hands, "Black Lightning Roar!" The attack headed towards Ray while the blade did the same thing.

" _Byakko's Blistering Thunderstorm!"_ Ray/Driger yelled, all the energy they had been gathering unleashed and then the whole world was filled with too much light, the attack throwing everyone to the ground. Dark Driger yelled, while Ray/Driger reached deep into the soul room-.

 _Ray was inside the padded white cell, Riku looking up at him in awe. Riku's eyes softened, more tears spilling out, 'Ray-tiger, have you come to hear the disappointment of my family?' Ray heard the cruel taunts, Riku whimpering and drawing his knees closer to his chest, his head lowered in sorrow._

 _Ray kneeled down next to Riku, putting a hand on the boy's slender back, 'No, I don't.'_

 _Riku looked up to stare at him, bewildered, 'You don't?"_

 _Ray smiled down at the boy, 'No, because I don't hear Aya or Rin's voices.' Riku's eyes widened, as if he had never thought about that. Ray looked around, 'I don't hear Nami, Shun or Hikaru, either. So, no. I don't hear your family being disappointed in you.'_

 _Riku smiled, looking so happy and relieved. He began to glow and the padded cell began to crack before the walls fell, showing Riku's true soul room. It was a homely looking music room, with several pictures littering the walls, representing all the people Riku loved._

' _Thank you, Ray,' Riku said, now sitting down in front of the piano and gliding his fingers through the keys, 'You really did save me.'_

 _Ray nodded at him, 'I told you I would.'_

-Ray/Driger fell to his knees while Dark Dranzer landed on his back, his motionless blade landing next to him. He groaned, turning his head towards the window. He smiled, imagining _her_ flying in the sky before he closed his eyes, abandoning Riku's body.

 _Dark Dranzer, could I have been worthy of you?_

Somewhere else, a black knight fell.

"Riku?" Nami whispered, as if she was afraid that it wouldn't be him responding. Ray stood and walked towards Riku, who opened his eyes. The boy smiled up at Ray before trying to stand. He cried out suddenly, falling on his back again. His eyes were wide with horror, trying to sit up in vain.

Ray helped him up to a sitting position, "Riku, are you ok-."

"I . . . I can't feel my legs," Riku said, hyperventilating while his eyes grew wider. He clung to Ray, who looked just as horrified as the boy, "Ray-tiger, I can't feel my legs! Why can't I feel my legs?!"

"Riku, Ray, what's wrong?" Kaori asked. Ray turned to them, his eyes filled with horror. They would've thought that Riku was dead, the way Ray looked. He looked down at Riku again.

"Riku's been paralyzed."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

In a dark, broken soul room, a small light was fading away. The light belonged to the naked body of a young black haired teenager. He was curled up in a ball, holding something in his hands that glowed faintly. The room was horribly dark, with twisted, black trees. The soul room must have once been a majestic, lush forest but the place was destroyed and filled with water.

' _It's cold. Too cold.'_ The boy whispered, shivering, _'Help me, Suzaku.'_

Silence. The boy whimpered, holding the stone he held in his hands tightly. He opened his eyes, his eyes showing how tired he was, _'Kai, help.'_

' _There is beauty in the lie, spoken like a bittersweet goodbye,'_ A voice sang in the empty soul room, making their way silently to the boy. Someone kneeled down next to the boy, moving the bangs away, _'Still that brilliant light is beyond my reach. Maybe I belong here, beneath the light of the moon.'_

' _Who are you?'_ The boy asked, trying to look up at the other person before the other moved away from his view and attempted to lull him to sleep.

' _An old friend, my dear Rin,'_ The voice answered, voice soothing and familiar, _'I will help you heal. Until then, sleep.'_ Rin did just that, holding the voice's hand. The voice smiled, carrying the young boy bridal-style, heading towards a glowing, silver tree. The male smiled, _'I will protect you, my dear Rin.'_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: So, yeah. I'm so sorry for that, guys. Rin and Riku are both screwed.**

 **Night: . . .**

 **Erebus: . . .**

 **Chaos: . . .**

 **Anime: What?**

 **Riku: You hurt me. Apologize.**

 **Anime: Ehhh. . . No. See ya in Chapter 28!**

 **Chaos: She's a terrible person. . .**

 **MIAB chapters left until the END: 4**

 ****Riku is a very tragic character, if it wasn't obvious. His parents were great big back of d**ks and the rest of his family was just as bad. The only one that loved him was his grandmother and she was the one that was with Riku when he was taken. After she died, the bullying on Riku got worse before he cracked and killed his uncle. As such, he was interned in the "asylum" where he was alone until Aya and Rin found him. Ironically, he and Rin are my favorite OCs****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Fallen Angel**

 **Song: Fallen Angel by Three Days Grace**

 **Preview: The long awaited battle between Kai and Dark Dranzer has finally come. Who is the one singing that sorrowful requiem? Will the promise that binds Kai – the promise to kill Rin – be fulfilled? What is wrong within Dark Dranzer and Rin's soul room? And what is** _ **he**_ **doing in that soul room?**

 **Just for fun: What should have happened in the end of Chapter 1:**

Kai: So Boris is your cousin?

Rin: Something like that. Anyways, he has something we need so I'm going to pay him a . . . what do you call it?

Kai: Visit?

Rin: Beating. That's it. I'm going to pay him a beating.


	29. Chapter 28: Fallen Angel

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors (?), torture, death (not to worry, it's just here just in case), a dash of angst, hints of yaoi**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To the awesome readers that I love and give me motivation to continue.**

 **Anime: An update on the start of winter vacations. Hurray for me!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

" _Speaking"_ : Soul bond mode

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **28: Fallen Angel**

 _Dark Dranzer's Arena, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Dark Dranzer was alone in his room, playing a gentle melody on an ocarina. His eyes were closed, his body swaying to the tune of the song. He opened his eyes, letting a tear run down as memories of Dark Dragoon, Dark Driger, Dranzer and Kai returned to him. Memories that he had suppressed and memories Rin had suppressed. There were also memories that they both cherished. They filled his head, intertwining with the lullaby playing in his head that had begun ever since Dark Driger's darkness injured Rin.

"Dranzer and . . . Kai." He whispered before holding his head, "Am I prepared?" The final battle was approaching. He still felt that something was wrong with him. Still, he was glad that Rin's light was shining softly in their soul room.

' _You are an ocean of waves. Weaving a dream, like thoughts become a river stream. Yet may the tide ever change. Flowing like time, to the path, yours to climb.'_

The song was getting louder. Dark Dranzer hissed and held his head, trying to make _him_ shut up. He didn't know why he kept singing. Was it to drive him mad with grief or to console the grief-stricken boy trapped in his own nightmare, trapped in the foreign darkness? He also wondered how in the world he heard the song of someone who wasn't in this world anymore.

' _Thou seek the light with an outstretched hand. A divine blade lies before you. So command the wake of dreams. To restore the world, cut 'way the seams.'_

At that moment, thousands of voices cut through Dark Dranzer's mind, making him yell and drop the ocarina in his hands. The worst part was that those memories weren't his. They were Rin's. All of them were filled with powerful emotions of love, happiness and sorrow. They were too strong.

" _I haven't seen you smile so innocently in months." "Your father and mother love you, Rin." "Please forgive me even though I deserve the hatred you have of me." "I really am sorry, Rin, for that night." "With all of us watching each other's backs, nothing can stop us!" "With a smile like that, you'd think you'd show it more." "I'll make you smile enough that you won't need to smile for two years because your quota will be achieved." "Be happy, Rin." "Rin, we'll get out of here, right?"_ _"Is that how you greet everyone or just me?" "Trust me with your heart, Rin." "Good-bye, Mizushima." "Please don't shut us out." "Live, my sweet child." "You're an oddity, Mizushima." "Let's be friends, okay?" "It was only a dream." "You're cute." "Anyways, you're a little late, aren't you?" "You're not a bad person."_

' _Join in our prayer, in our song, of birthrights and love. Come the sun, illuminate the sky. Pray that we may quell the dark. Light take the throne. Lost in thoughts all alone.'_

"Stop it!" He yelled, as if that would help, "I don't want those memories. Take them away. Take them away." He fell to his knees, trembling and half crying for mercy. Inside Rin's soul room, where Dark Dranzer's influence could not reach, white eyes opened while the owner of said eyes patted the head of a crying child.

' _Sorrow is what kills the heart, my dear Yami-Suzaku.'_

Dark Dranzer already knew that. His heart had been overwhelmed with sorrow long ago, the moment he had fought against Eden's Rapture all those years ago. After that, the Forsaken Fallen were, as their name suggested, forsaken by their fellow holy beasts. It wasn't fair, because they had done so much for their friends and for the Elders, only to rewarded with pain and sealing for thousands of centuries.

The song was still being sung by the familiar voice, although it didn't pain him as much to hear it. As his Elder had once told him, memories were precious and, no matter how painful they are, they should never be repressed. Every memory was important.

Dark Dranzer stood up, picking up the ocarina he had dropped. He smiled, putting a hand over his heart. He thought about Dark Dragoon and Dark Driger, about Chaos and Night, about Dark Draciel and Gaea, about Tartarus and Ouranos, about Hades, Nemesis and Hecate. No matter what happened, he would never forget his dear friends. His memories – the only joy he could have at the moment – would help him defeat Kai and Dranzer.

"Be prepared, my other half," He muttered, taking out the blade he had. He was silent, staring at the blade. This was the blade he had found in Rin's hands the day Tyson escaped and had begun to fix because it was damaged. He knew this blade, felt the residue of Dranzer's influence in the blade.

The blade was none other than Dranzer Metal Spiral.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Chaos's Chambers, Forsaken Fallen Headquarters, Chaotic Dimension, 17_ _th_ _Universe (Time Unknown)_

Chaos fiddled with the black queen, hovering it over the white king, before putting it in front of the white knight, looking serious. He glanced at Zeus and the others before glancing at the bladers hanging from the ceiling, looking pensive, "Do you think I should put them down?"

"Put them down as in putting them on the floor?" Raul asked. Everyone else had been doing something else, like Oliver was playing a game of chess by himself while Ming-Ming had been braiding Zeus's hair, the beast looking relaxed. Either that or he was loopy from blood loss. They had all stopped when Chaos had spoken, though.

Chaos was quiet before smirking at them, the darkness around him swirling. They all shivered, feeling very disturbed at the image. He laughed, the darkness receding, "I'm messing with you. You humans are too easy, I'm afraid."

"You don't help matters by being so cryptic." Oliver muttered, Chaos responding with a laugh. None of them seemed happy while Chaos looked up.

"Yeah, yeah," He said before he reached out for something then paused when he turned to see there was nothing there. He sighed, running his hand through his hair, "I don't have anyone this time around, huh?"

"Getting sentimental, Chaos?" Zeus asked.

Chaos looked at him with serious, hurt eyes, causing Zeus to flinch at the emotion. Chaos laughed without mirth and Zeus could've sworn that the other beast's laugh cracked as if he was hurt.

"If I was, what reputation would I get?"

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Kai's head was swirling with possibilities. He thought about battle strategies as he climbed up the stairs. Everyone else was just as silent, all of them occasionally looking to the back to see the two that were in the back.

Ray was carrying Riku bridal-style, Riku whispering – still in denial about his legs – to the black-haired blader while sobbing softly, clinging to the other boy's shirt. Nami hated to hear it and she could tell the others did too. It was the most she had ever seen Riku cry ever since they were children. Aya had told her, though, that Riku had cried when he had been found by Aya and Rin years ago.

"Everyone, wait up!"

They all turned back and Tyson grinned, waving, "Max! Aya!" He stared at the pair before blinking, "Why are you both wet?"

Max and Aya were both still wet from their plunge into the lake and their clothes were pressed tightly to their bodies. Aya pushed her wet hair back, smiling back at Tyson, "We fell into a lake after the fight, Ty! It was so cool!"

"Wasn't what you were thinking when you fell," Max muttered before Aya playfully hit him. She smiled and her eyes lit up when she saw Riku in the arms of Ray. She rushed up the stairs, looking happier than she had in weeks.

"Ri-Ri!" She yelled before she paused, the smile fading from her face. She reached out for the boy and looked hurt when he curled closer to Ray, trembling. She looked at Ray, "What is wrong with Ri-Ri?"

"Riku . . . can't move his legs anymore." Ray muttered, Riku turning to see the sadness welling up in Aya's eyes before turning his gaze away. Aya smiled softly, placing a hand on Riku's hair. She felt like sobbing but there was no way she'd do such a thing. It'd end up hurting Riku more. She stroked the boy's hair, still calm. Ray was surprised, to say the least.

"Kai," Aya looked up, her whole demeanor exuding sorrow and pain before she grinned, "make sure to beat Dark Dranzer for Riku's sake, okay?" Kai saw Nami give out a sigh of relief, something he wanted to do. Aya was, thankfully, still Aya.

"As if you need to tell me." Kai said, continuing his trek up the stairs. He felt Dranzer stir in his mind and touched his heart, feeling it beat faster. Honestly, he was terrified. He was scared that Rin would end up like Riku or worse. He was scared that he would need to kill Rin. Neither option made him very happy.

' _Whatever the result is, we must accept it and move on,'_ Dranzer said but he could hear the despair in his partner's voice. It seemed they were both lamenting the task they had to complete.

' _Easier said than done.'_ Kai said before they finally reached Dark Dranzer's room. He didn't hesitate to open the doors, knowing who'd be behind it. He had been preparing for this battle for months. He wasn't going to hesitate now.

Dark Dranzer was alone in the room, playing a violin gracefully. That definitely made Kai stop in his tracks because the song Dark Dranzer was playing was Natasha's symphony. It was the musical symphony that reminded him of days where he and his family and the Mizushima family would get together and entertain each other with mundane things.

His dad and he would show their blading skills, his mother would sing, Haru would play a flute, Rin would play the piano and Natasha would always play this symphony with her violin. It was so nostalgic and it hurt.

"Recognize it?" Dark Dranzer asked, finishing the song. He smiled, the violin disappearing, "I should hope so; Natasha composed it just for you and Rin. Well, she also wrote it for your intertwining tragic fates."

Kai wanted to yell at him for insulting Natasha's memory but a hand on his shoulder – Tyson's hand, considering the hand gripped his shoulder as if to hold him back – stopped him. He took a deep breath, deciding to not give Dark Dranzer the satisfaction of seeing him get hurt. Dark Dranzer didn't seem to mind that much.

His eyes were different from the last time he had seen him. His pure red eyes now had patches in color where his iris was white while there was a blue ring around both his pupils. His clothes and hair were the same but the eyes were not.

"I'd love to chat but I've been itching to fight you for days, technically hours in Earth," Dark Dranzer said with a smile, "I would have loved to torture you with the fact that you've cause so many people to be hurt. Oh well," He materialized his blade and saw the recognition in Kai's eyes, "Looks familiar, huh?"

"Dranzer Metal Spiral."

"Found it in Rin's hands after Tyson escaped. I tinkered with it so it's better now." He got into a battle position, "Wanna test it out?" He unfurled his torn wings again, taunting Dranzer and Kai, reminding them of Dranzer's sin. Kai could hear how horrified Dranzer felt.

Kai's eyes glowed before he materialized wings of his own, the bright red wings being a contrast against Dark Dranzer's darker and torn wings. The gap between them – of light and darkness – was too obvious at that moment. Kai turned to look at Tyson and smiled. Neither of the rivals said anything. They knew what the other was thinking about so no words had to be said amongst each other.

Kai stepped forward, "Gladly." He took out his own blade – an updated model of the hard metal system – and placed it in a launcher. Kenny saw the red auras surrounding both bladers and could even see the auras taking the forms of phoenixes.

"Let it rip!" They yelled, their blades rushing out and meeting each other halfway, the sound of their clash sounding throughout the silent room. They glanced at each other from across the room and Kai was surprised that Dark Dranzer wasn't glaring at him, the way he usually did. Instead, he seemed more subdued.

"Dark Flame Spiral," Dark Dranzer said, the fire appearing from the palm of his hands and heading towards Kai. The top part of Kai's hair turned red when he jumped, taking flight. He scoffed while Dark Dranzer frowned. Dark Dranzer began to fly again, his eyes glowing, "Not bad, Kai. Still, you're not synchronized completely, are you?"

Dark Dranzer seemed to vanish and Kai looked up too late as Dark Dranzer knocked him to the ground. Their blades clashed, Dranzer's blade flying off and hitting the wall. Kai groaned, his wings stinging. He spread them before he took to the air again, his blade speeding towards the other blade.

Dark Dranzer narrowly missed him but Kai was able to land a hit on the other's left wing. He hissed, losing some altitude before he caught himself. He yelled, flying towards Kai. Kai dropped down to meet him. At the same time, their hands conjured up fire while they reached out to hit the other. On the ground, their blades were surrounded by a fiery aura.

"Demon Phoenix Fire!"

" _Divine Fire Arrow!"_ Kai yelled, the bottom part of his hair turning white as he formed the soul bond with Dranzer.

The two attacks connected, sending both winged males flying apart. Kai's eyes dilated while Dark Dranzer's did too. They both saw different flashes inside their heads that made their heads hurt.

Dark Dranzer saw a couple looking down at him, smiling. He saw an old man staring coldly down at him. He saw a young Rin playing the violin, Natasha doing the same. He saw Tyson from across a stadium. He saw himself being saved by Tyson and the others in Lake Baikal. He saw himself wielding Black Dranzer. He saw himself meeting the brunt of Zeus's attacks. He drew back, as if hurt by the memories.

Kai saw Dranzer laughing as Dragoon and Dark Dragoon were hanging from a tree. He saw Dark Driger and Driger chasing after him. He saw Chaos singing inside a black tower. He saw the Hollow Tree, Daisuke speaking to it in a voice that didn't sound like his own. He saw himself as a twelve year old, Voltaire speaking to him – speaking to Rin – about how the two hadn't seen each other in years. He saw himself standing under the mistletoe, holding someone's hand and that person leaning down towards him. All of these memories weren't just Dark Dranzer's or Rin's, though. Kai reeled at memories.

' _What was that?'_

' _When you made contact, you two must have shared memories,'_ Dranzer told Kai, _'If we can connect for a longer time, we might be able to see into the soul room and wake Rin up so he can find a way to end his imperfect union with Dark Dranzer.'_

' _Sounds like a plan.'_ Kai thought as he faced off against Dark Dranzer. The other was staring at him with dilated eyes before he shook his head, as if riding himself from the memories. The two didn't hesitate as they came to blows, fire and blood mixing into their battlefield.

"What are you trying to save?!" Dark Dranzer asked, throwing a fireball straight at Kai. Kai/Dranzer deflected it with his wings, dodging another volley of fire balls, "Don't you know Rin's gone?"

" _I'll see if that's true."_ Kai/Dranzer responded before they seemed to vanish. Dark Dranzer looked around and felt his other half behind him. Just as he turned around, Kai/Dranzer kicked him right in the stomach. He gave out an 'oof!' and Kai's eyes dilated as he and Dranzer made their way into Dark Dranzer's soul room.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Kai felt himself enter the soul room, surprised at his actions as he had not expected this to work so well. He looked around to see that he was in a dark soul room, a foot of water submerging the place while there were destroyed trees everywhere, as if a forest fire had occurred. He couldn't see Dark Dranzer but he could see a soft light in the distance.

' _Rin!'_ He yelled, running towards that light. He made it there quickly and was surprised at the white, glowing tree made of out of crystal. Water flowed from between its roots, making the soul room become submerged. He saw a black haired person sitting on top of one of the branches, looking down at their lap and sighed, _'Rin, time to wake up.'_

The person looked up and the color in Kai's already white face left, _'N-Night?'_

The holy beast – the one that had _died_ protecting Kai – looked the same as always with his silky long black hair and his gentle and wise eyes. He was dressed in a silver-white kimono with black designs of symbols Kai did not understand. He had a red scarf wrapped around his neck, making him seem, for some odd reason, more serene. As usual, there was a soft white glow around him, as if he was the moon illuminating the night.

" _Shh,"_ Night whispered, _"you will wake him up."_ He motioned to the sleeping child that was on his lap, who was dressed in a simple white kimono that was clutching a small stone. Kai recognized that child immediately as Rin and looked up at Night, questioning his presence here in Rin's soul room.

' _Why are you here? They said you were with Tyson.'_ Kai stated, staring at the beast in front of him. Night's gentle gaze softened and created a branch to lift Kai up so he could be in his level.

" _He needed help. His soul room is in shambles. This is the only way I know to help him,"_ Night answered, running a hand through Rin's hair, who shivered and mumbled something, _"Until his heart and soul heals, I will let him sleep. He deserves that much._

" _As for why I am here and in Tyson's soul room is because of First's will. She allowed two parts of my soul to be inside of the minds of two people: my true tamer and one of your friends who would have to be the one to battle Chaos."_

' _Tamer?'_ Kai asked before looking at Rin, _'You're telling me that he's not Dark Dranzer's-.'_

" _Dark Dranzer lost her tamer the same night Chaos did. Rin was just the perfect substitute for both of them. Dark Dranzer happened to make a connection with him before Chaos did. But I knew that he was my true tamer the moment I saw him."_

' _And you said nothing?'_ Kai asked.

Night sighed, _"He did not seem to like the concept of tamers and beasts very much. He would not have liked to have been my tamer. It is an awful thing when your tamer rejects you."_

' _He would have preferred you over Dark Dranzer,'_ Kai answered before reaching out to Rin and Night, _'It's time to end this battle and save you both from Dark Dranzer.'_

" _Farewell, Kai."_

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Dark Dranzer pushed him away with a yell, his eyes losing the blue ring around the pupil. He glared at Kai/Dranzer before creating dark flames in his hands. He gave out a cry and punched Kai in the chest. Kai/Dranzer cried out in pain and flew back. He held his wound as he smelled burning flesh. He felt Dranzer healing his wound before he rushed at Dark Dranzer, throwing fireballs at the other. Dark Dranzer glided away from them before he cried out as one managed to hit his right wing, losing some altitude before landing on the ground next to their wobbling blades.

Dranzer/Kai's fiery red aura seemed to spread like a forest fire and they all backed away as Aya hissed in pain when she made contact with the aura. Dark Dranzer's eyes turned completely red before he began to glow. In the glow, they could see Dark Dranzer's true form – a fiery female who looked calm – before the aura turned into a phoenix made of flames. Kai/Dranzer closed their eyes, as if gathering strength, before opening them. Their aura was a gigantic phoenix, twice the size of Dark Dranzer's.

"Show me your powers, you two." Dark Dranzer said before flying upwards to the duo that shared a body, mind and soul. At the same time, the blades rushed towards each other like their wielders.

" _Suzaku's Heaven Inferno!"_ Kai/Dranzer and Dark Dranzer yelled before their flames engulfed the other. Max raised up his hands, his eyes glowing purple and a water shield appeared, keeping the flames from burning everyone.

"Kai!"

In a chess set not too far, a queen fell.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Night, Rin and Kai were floating above a forest, Night holding the small Rin in his arms. Night smiled down, seeing Dranzer holding Dark Dranzer in a hug. Dark Dranzer was falling asleep, her body vanishing. The two beasts were leaning on a familiar looking tree, one Dark Dranzer hadn't seen in centuries.

' _Is this the end, then?'_ Dark Dranzer asked, staring up at the blue sky. Dranzer began to run a hand through her hair, making her hum in happiness.

' _No. It'll be your new beginning,'_ Dranzer responded, looking up at Rin and Kai before looking back down at his other half, _'I'm sorry for my actions. I was horrible to you.'_

' _I'm not entirely blameless, either,'_ Dark Dranzer muttered before closing her eyes, _'I wanted to keep hating you, you know. As long as I hated you, I would not feel the pain of losing you, of you hurting me. Maybe it's the same for all of us. Still, I don't know if I truly hate you.'_

' _It's okay if you do.'_ Dranzer responded. The two fell silent, not knowing what else to say. Night took Kai's hand and lowered him to the ground next to Dranzer and Dark Dranzer. They sat down, all of them except Rin looking at the disappearing Dark Dranzer

' _There is always sleep between part and meet with our usual words on the usual street. So let us part like we always do. . . And in a world without you, I'll dream of you,'_ Dark Dranzer spoke, her voice coming out in a whisper, _'Beyond the path without you is a forgotten promise to keep._

' _And though our paths may not cross, all paths are connected somewhere. When I arrive at where you are, we may not appear to be as we were . . . But we'll make another promise to keep.'_ She touched Dranzer's face before closing her eyes, _'we'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when. Oh, I know we'll meet again some sunny day.'_ She smiled serenely before she vanished, the soul room turning dark while the trees died. As soon as that happened, Night stood up, Rin stirring in his arms before going limp.

' _Take care of Rin, Night.'_ Kai said, even though he knew that he didn't need to say it. Night nodded and then headed towards the silver tree, singing softly to the sleeping Rin. Once he was out of earshot, Kai stood up and held out his hand for Dranzer, _'Let's go.'_

Dranzer smiled up at him and took his tamer's hand.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

When the fire died down, Max dropped the shield and they all looked up to see Kai flying, holding Dark Dranzer bridal-style. The beast's hair was black, meaning that Rin was back. This was further proven when the torn dark wings vanished. Aya fell to her knees, sobbing happily while Tyson looked relieved. Kai landed on the ground, his wings vanishing as well. He looked at Tyson before glancing down at the male in his arms.

"Rin won't wake up. Not yet," He informed them. Aya stood up, Max patting her softly on the back. She seemed to appreciate it. Kai looked back to see that Dark Dranzer's blade had stopped spinning while Dranzer was about to stop.

"Why? Why won't Rin-."

"I'll explain on the way." Kai answered and Kenny felt shock as he saw Rin glowing as if he was bathed in moonlight. He didn't say anything but suspected that Tyson wasn't the only one with a piece of Night in his heart.

"Now, the final battle commences."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Sorry, everyone. I really am. Sorry. Too many things happening that I almost didn't upload it. I've been catching up on the Walking Dead, re-watching Gravity Falls, taking finals, etc. Luckily, Christmas break has started. Woo hoo! Well, see you guys in the next chapter!**

 **MIAB chapters left until the END: 3**

 ****Rin and Night are both very similar, if anyone's noticed. They just have different pasts. If Rin's parents hadn't died, he would have been just like Night. The reason for that is because Rin is Night's tamer. As for Chaos and Dark Dranzer's true tamers, they were killed by Dark Driger and Chaos. They have also appeared in the course of this story. Dedication to the person that gets it right.****

 ****Dark Dranzer's last words come from Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and the song Bill Cipher sings in the last episode of Gravity Falls. They seemed to fit the mood, you know?****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Epitaph**

 **Song: Epitaph by Weiss**

 **Preview (done by Takao, because he needs line): Takao: The final battle has finally come. Tyson and Chaos are going to end this battle once and for all. The universe is watching. The universes depend on the victory of Tyson.**


	30. Chapter 29: Epitaph

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors (?), torture, death (not to worry, it's just here just in case), a dash of angst, hints of yaoi, no more text that shows where everyone is at anymore**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To the awesome readers that I love and give me motivation to continue. Merry Christmas!**

 **Anime: I am happy and sad. Happy because Christmas, you guys! Isn't it great?! Sad because MIAB is ending soon. *sobs* Anyways, don't let me keep you guys away from the final battle. Hurray! Let's start!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

" _Speaking"_ : Soul bond mode

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **29: Epitaph**

Chaos was ready. They could see it in his serious red-eyed stare as he touched his blade. He closed his eyes, remembering that Dark Dranzer had made this for him, his closest friend having said that it'd be an advantage during the battle and Chaos wished he had been right as Suzaku's own blade had been customized by him yet it hadn't helped him against Kai.

Nemesis, Hecate, Hades, Gaea, Ouranos, Tartarus, Dark Draciel, Dark Dragoon, Dark Driger and Dark Dranzer were gone, just like before. It hurt him to lose them again, after how hard they had tried to leave their seals. Gaea hated the dark confines and Chaos wished he had been able to protect her from them.

' _I am a useless, worthless human being.'_

Chaos blinked, looking up. He recognized that voice. How was he able to hear Takao when the male kept to himself in his bubble that Takao had created to not be near Chaos? He could hear the boy listing how inhumane he was, making Chaos wonder how badly he screwed the human for life.

' _I am not a human. Humans have emotions and I do not. I am only Master's puppet.'_

Once, long ago, he used to think that about himself. He had been conditioned to think that way by the Elders and it had only been thanks to Night – _gentle Night who was dead because of him_ – that he started thinking highly about himself. Takao had no one.

 _Once this is over, you'll be free to see the stars, one way or another._ Chaos thought, closing his eyes. It would all end now. Whether it'd be his end or humanity's, he did not know. But the end was coming.

Whose end was coming?

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Third was tired and that was obvious. They had never seen her look so tired as she did now. Fifteen looked just as tired, if not more, than her. The two had been at each other's throats for hours – days in some universes, weeks in others and there was a universe where a century had passed – and they were tired of it.

"Would anyone else wish to contribute to the case of Seventeen's fate?" First asked, looking tired as she tried to keep track of the current conversation and what was occurring in the battle against the Forsaken Fallen. She ran a hand through her hair before standing, "So, it has been settled?"

"This is utter bullshit." Third muttered, although, in the silent room, everyone heard her. She glared up at First Elder, "Are you really going to do this? She's your sister and you're willing to kill her for a sin she's not guilty of?"

"It's been decided, Third Elder," First said in a no-nonsense tone, eyes cold and serious. She looked down at her younger sister – who was sprawled on the floor and bound there by the chains – who looked younger now, reflecting how powerless she felt. She looked six, for crying out loud.

First unclenched her right hand and a silver staff that looked as if it had once been part of Yggdrasil appeared. She looked at all the Elders that were seated on their thrones and ignored the lone seat that belonged to Seventeen before pointing the staff on Seventeen's head.

"Seventeenth Elder, the Elders have decided that you are guilty of the actions of the holy beasts for gifting them with unnecessary emotions that have caused grief to humanity. Your punishment is death."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Everyone walked up the stairs in silence and it was killing Aya on the inside. Riku had stopped crying, only staring ahead with dead eyes that she hated to see him have. Shun was now being carried by Hikaru – something everyone had protested but Hikaru had blown everyone off, saying he had every right to carry his little brother – while the unconscious Rin was being carried by Kai.

The one leading everyone to Chaos's room was Tyson. Every time he took a step forward, he felt his heart clench, as if Night did not want to fight Chaos and was regretting his actions. However, he remembered Takao and that gave him the resolve to keep on going, no matter how scared he felt.

 _I don't need to be afraid of losing. I have faith in my bond with Dragoon and my friends. I won't lose._

Tyson returned to reality when he noticed he had finally made it to the top of the stairs. He looked at the double doors and took a deep breath. Behind this door, one of the most ancient and powerful beasts dwelled, prepared to battle him. If he lost, humanity was doomed.

 _Talk about "no pressure"._

Tyson turned to face his friends for a brief moment before he pushed the doors open and entered Chaos's chamber. He paused, seeing who was floating on the ceiling. He spotted Hilary, Mariah, Emily, Zeo, Ozuma Kevin, Eddy, Spencer, Enrique, Miguel, Mystel, Lee, Michael and Ian, all of them connected to darkness tubes that seemed to be taking something out of them. It terrified Tyson.

"Like the decorations?" Chaos asked, appearing from seemingly out of nowhere. He looked just he always did, although he looked more serious. His eyes glanced at everyone behind them and then looked back, "Go ahead, my guests, your friends are waiting."

Tyson was about to ask what he was talking about when he spotted Raul, Oliver, Zeus and Ming-Ming behind the powerful beast. Julia almost cried as she finally caught a glimpse of her brother. She rushed towards him and Raul ran to his sister. The two met halfway and their embrace made everyone else smile.

"I thought I'd never see you again." Julia whispered to Raul. She knew she wasn't one for sentimental words, that's what Raul would always tell her, but she had been possessed for weeks by a psychotic spirit while her brother had suffered a similar dilemma. Showing some weakness was okay now.

"I missed you, Julia." Raul said and the twins broke away from their hug. Ming-Ming and Oliver had a less sappy reunion with their friends while Zeus collapsed in Garland's arms.

"Tell Brooklyn that I'm putting you in charge of him," Zeus muttered, "If he listens to you from now on, maybe we won't be in this situation again." He hummed, closing his eyes, "That'll be nice." With that, Zeus finally let his human tamer take over.

"See," Chaos said, gesturing at his guests, "I can take care of your people. I even served them tea."

"Did Dark Draciel make it?" Max asked the spirit, "If so, it was probably terrible tea."

"No, it was good tea. Chaos said that Dark Dranzer made it." Oliver assured the blonde.

Chaos rolled his eyes before his eyes landed on Tyson's figure. He stepped forward, "You know what you have in your heart, Tyson Granger, child of the skies. For that reason alone, I will not kill you." He took out his blade, the beyblade glinting in the little light the room had.

Tyson took out Dragoon and they noticed he began to float. When he blinked, his eyes were scalene-like, mirroring Dragoon's. His hair was being moved by an invisible wind and the blue aura that surrounded him was brighter than ever, to the point where everyone could see it, not just Kenny. Scales seemed to form around his eyes, making him seem more like a dragon.

"That's something you don't see every day," Chaos applauded, his own eyes turning darker. Shadows formed around him and the room shook with his power, "Let us dance, child of the skies."

Tyson nodded, his whole body coursing with power he had never felt before. He could feel Dragoon's presence and the two were one, controlling Tyson's body in perfect synchronization. He got into a battle position, Chaos mirroring his actions.

This was it. Everything that had happened had led up to this moment.

Tyson felt his grip on his launcher get tighter. _Takao, Ann, Rin, Riku, Shun, Hikaru, Hiro, Nami, Raul, Julia, Kaori, Kai, Max, Ray, Kenny, Daichi, Hilary, everyone,_ he thought as he imagined his friends in his mind, _I'm fighting for you and the whole world._

 _Dragoon, Night, give me strength_.

"Let it rip!" The three fighters yelled.

The blades spun rapidly and crashed in midair, a vortex of wind and darkness surrounding them. The wind was powerful, making everyone fall to their knees to avoid being swept away. Kai grunted, placing Rin gently on the ground and making sure he wouldn't fall victim to the howling winds.

"This is amazing!" Aya yelled, her voice almost lost in the wind.

The wind was indeed strong. However, the darkness was stronger. It sliced through Tyson's skin, making him bleed as if it was an arsenal of knives. He groaned but then he felt a warm light surround him like a barrier, healing the most serious of wounds. Well, he hadn't expected this much from just a piece of Night's soul. He only wished that it could extend to his friends as they were being sliced by the darkness.

The twister of wind and darkness faded as the blades separated, rotating in front of their respective bladers. Chaos's face contained lines of darkness while his red eyes were completely black like a void. Tyson, on the other hand, had formed more scales that were visible in places the darkness had touched.

" _Wicked."_ Tyson/Dragoon said, grinning widely.

Chaos's eyes turned red once more as he smirked, "This is just the beginning."

The two stared at each other before, at the blink of an eye, they vanished. Kai turned his eyes to the ceiling to see the duo wasn't there. He looked around and they could only see their blades speeding towards each other at speeds that seemed to be impossible, each hit making the castle shake.

' _Mortal eyes cannot see, Kai.'_ Dranzer said before he formed a bond with his tamer. Kai's eyes burned brighter as Dranzer lent him his sight. Immediately, he saw Chaos and Tyson/Dragoon fighting with punches laced with darkness or light, the two flying whenever it happened that one of the two was sent flying.

"They're fast." Ray noted, his own eyes glowing while his eyes shape had turned more cat-like. Riku's hands were clenched tightly together, as if he was praying. He closed his eyes and muttered something no one could hear.

Tyson/Dragoon must have been throwing at least twenty punches – laced with light, thanks to Night's influence – per minute but Chaos was faster, avoiding each punch with inhumane speed. Whenever he threw punches covered in darkness, Tyson was unable to dodge at least five of them. And they hurt like hell whenever they connected with their target.

"You're not getting into the spirit of things, Ty," Chaos said in a childish voice before his eyes turned black and he vanished, appearing behind Tyson, digging a shard of darkness where the heart was located, "Eternal Anarchic Space."

Tyson and Dragoon both screamed of physical pain while they felt their joined soul room tremble with dark power. Tyson fell to the ground next to his blade, the beyblade fairing as badly as its master. Tyson convulsed on the ground, his pupils wide as he tried to stop the pain.

"Tyson!" They all yelled.

' _IT HURTS!'_ Tyson and Dragoon yelled in unison while Chaos dropped to the ground, muttering something under his breath. Kai recognized that attack from the day that Night had died. Like that time, the area around Chaos's blade turned black and small white lights began to form as the blade floated in the sky. Chaos smirked, "Extinction of Cosmos."

"Oh fuck." Tala said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

If Tyson thought he had been in pain before. Then, his whole body felt as if it was being sucked of all of the energy and he yelled loudly. Everyone else did too, as the attack hurt everyone in the radius that wasn't Chaos. When the attack finally stopped, everyone fell, some of them unconscious. Like before, Chaos felt the beasts protecting their tamers before they too fell to slumber.

Despite it all, Tyson's blade was still spinning, indicating the battle was not over.

Chaos tsked, "This will be a problem."

Tyson felt that everything was over. He was suffering through physical and mental pain, something no one deserved to go through. He felt himself slipping before he saw a pale hand rest on his cheek. When he opened his eyes, he noticed it was none other than the infamous Night.

Night muttered something to Tyson before brushing his hair aside. The pain in his soul room subsided but his physical pain had not. It was something he could live through, though, so he didn't complain.

"I tried to hold it all back," Night's voice spoke through the veil of darkness and pain, "But you managed to hit Chaos too many times. I am afraid that I cannot stop them from flowing into you, Tyson." His voice vanished, leaving Tyson hollow.

Then, unwanted memories surged into his mind, making Tyson convulse on the ground. He saw memories of Chaos inside a black tower – _loneliness, fear, pain, sorrow, longing "I want someone to be my friend"_ – and memories of the Elders – _fear, respect, hatred, love, admiration, love, pain_. He saw memories of Night – _friend, love, warm, love, friendship, laughter, love, sorrow, "I love you"_ – and memories of the Forsaken Fallen – _friends, love, protect, love, "must protect them"_ – before they went to Earth.

He saw memories of the other holy beasts – _love, friends, family, love, "they're my light"_ – and memories of Erebus – _friend, love, friendship, funny, "good friend", betrayal, regret, hatred, sorrow_. He saw memories of Daisuke – _jealousy, "you took my family", eventual respect, then love_ – and Sasha – _annoyance, friendship, longing, love, "stay with me"_.

Finally, he saw Chaos's memories of his last moments – _"why?", betrayal, family, love turned to hatred, curse, mourn, sorrow, fear, terror, hatred, love, hatred, love_ – and his time in the seal – _curse, regret, sorrow, loneliness, longing, fear, pain, "just like before"_ – before he was finally unleashed.

Seeing all of this, feeling all of this, Tyson shed a lone tear.

Chaos had suffered through all of that? His memories had started with loneliness, sorrow, fear, pain and longing and that's how the memories had ended. That was unfair. Chaos deserved more.

No, _the Forsaken Fallen_ had deserved more.

Chaos had suffered the most but he hadn't been the only one in pain. Everyone else had been too. He thought of Dark Dragoon's last words to Dark Dranzer, words that no one but he knew of, and the pain in his heart that had nothing to do with Chaos's attack increased.

"I'm sorry. I love you."

The Forsaken Fallen had been the unfortunate pawns of the cruel design of fate. They had fought Eden's Rapture – friends, enemies, friends, enemies – to save their family and the world and were rewarded with only insanity, regret and a deep sorrow. While they were still reeling from those horrible events, they were betrayed by the family they had saved and sealed away, forced to be alone with the emotions that turned them into the beasts they were now.

"No," Tyson said aloud, startling Chaos as he hadn't expected the male to talk. He got to his knees on shaky legs, feeling blood coming from wounds the two attacks Chaos had thrown out.

Chaos frowned, "No what?"

"Things are going to be different," Tyson said, memories of the genuine smiles that Chaos and the others gave surging through him, "You're not too far gone yet. Your grey skies will be replaced with the blue sky we live under. You're not lost to us!" With that, a silver aura surrounded Tyson, making Tyson's clothes form into white robes with blue designs. Little stars surrounded him, making Tyson and Chaos wonder where they had come from.

" _I am glad that I am not the only one that saw it."_

Chaos's eyes widened while Tyson turned to see Rin was standing next to him. His blue eyes, however, were white, indicating that Night was the one in control. His hands were in a praying motion before smiling, grabbing Tyson's hand, _"Save my loved ones, Tyson."_

Tyson nodded and lifted the joined hands, "Let's do this, Dragoon!" He wasn't fighting for just humanity now. He was now fighting to save the Forsaken Fallen from their dark thoughts.

His blade glowed and the dragon shot out, giving out a roar. Night felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Max. Max nodded at him before his green aura mixed with Night's and Tyson's. Tyson's free hand was now enveloped by a very warm hand and the blunette knew it was Kai. The two hands on his back were just as familiar, Tyson thought as his blue aura mixed with white, green, purple, red and gold.

"Let me hear you roar, Dragoon!" Tyson yelled as his power and the power of his friends powered Dragoon's next attack. Chaos was trying to form his own attack, concentrating at the task at hand.

" _Let us bring this story to an end, shall we?"_ Night said. Tyson, Kai, Max, Ray and Daichi nodded before turning to face their enemy, whose attack had also finished forming.

Chaos yelled, "Infinite Cosmo Obliteration!"

"Yggdrasil's Sacred Tempest!" Tyson yelled, his eyes glowing a bright silver. Dragoon roared loudly as he headed straight for the epicenter of Chaos's attack. The silver branches of Yggdrasil seemed to bind Chaos before the blue dragon's attack landed.

Chaos's blade shattered before, moments later, Dragoon did too.

The world was enveloped in light, wind, fire, earth, water, darkness and electricity and that also occurred in worlds too far and too numerous to name. The worlds all pulsed with energy from the clash before, finally, everything came to a stop.

In the small dimension that the Forsaken Fallen had inhabited, the castle had finally stopped shaking and the smoke had cleared. Chaos was on the ground, staring up at the sky that was now visible as the attack had destroyed the ceiling. He smiled at the blue skies and closed his eyes, "Thank you."

Chaos began to leave his human body and returned to his bit-chip, prepared to rest at long last. It seemed that it had been his end after all. With that, Chaos was now in his seal and Takao was back.

Kai groaned, getting on his knees. Tyson was out cold and it seemed that his connection with Night and Dragoon had ended. Night was standing up, whispering what seemed to be an incantation, while Daichi was helping Max to his feet. Ray had run to the others while also checking up on the ones they had thought to be lost to the shadows. Kaori was hugging Hilary and Mariah, apologizing for what she had done to them when Nemesis had control over her.

"It is time to return to your home, everyone," Night said as a portal behind him opened up. He smiled, "I knew you could do it. I had faith in you all since the beginning. You did not disappoint me, my beloved heroes. Take care of yourselves. Farewell." His eyes turned blue and he began to fall, Rin taking over.

Kai caught Rin before he fell, however, and turned to the others who all looked exhausted. He hoisted Rin to his shoulders as if the pale boy was a sack of potatoes before walking over and carrying Tyson over his shoulder as well. He looked at the portal, "You heard Night. It's time to go home. The battle is over."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Tyson woke up in a dark room that he had no memory of ever being in. He blinked, sitting up and was shocked when he came face-to-face with a raven-haired male that was floating inside a substance that looked like water. The male must have been around sixteen years old and was dressed in simple black clothes that clung to his body. He looked like he was sleeping, though Tyson wasn't sure if he was.

"You did it. You sealed away the Forsaken Fallen."

Tyson turned around to see someone was hiding in the shadows. He stood up to get a better glimpse of the speaker and was silent as said person came out from the shadows. He took a step back, "You are-."

"Recognize me?" The male asked, his dark eyes looking at Tyson with malice.

"You're Erebus." Tyson replied, looking around to only see several raven-haired boys floating in containers like the first boy he had seen. He noticed that they all looked familiar, although he didn't know from where. Erebus placed a hand on one of the containers, gazing fondly at the raven-haired boy, before smirking at Tyson.

"Correct, Tyson Granger, child of the skies." Erebus said, "Tell me, do you know your sins?"

"Do you know yours?" Tyson shot back, taking steps back every time Erebus took steps forward. He didn't have anything to protect himself with and this was a problem when he was in front of this beast, the one that had started this mess of beasts versus humanity. He bumped into one of the containers, making the boy inside stir.

"My sins are not something a human should speak of lightly," Erebus responded, "Your sin, your greatest sin, Tyson Granger, is the sin of sealing away my precious Chaos." His white hair began to float while Tyson could feel darkness surround him. Erebus looked pissed.

"Why did you presume that you could seal what was mine?" He asked and Tyson felt fear course through his veins at the devilish look that Erebus had on his face. Chaos had never been a frightening figure to Tyson yet Erebus, who was weaker than Chaos, did. Perhaps it was because, unlike Chaos, Erebus wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

"For your unforgivable sin to be cleansed, you must die!" Erebus yelled and darkness gathered in his hands. He rushed towards Tyson, prepared to kill the defenseless human.

Tyson dodged the attack and began to run, Erebus cackling as he followed. The blunette hid behind a container and gripped his chest. He heard his heart pounding loudly and he was afraid that Erebus could hear it. He wished he was anywhere but here. He wished-.

"Found you!" Erebus laughed as Tyson's chest began to emit a soft silver glow. Before Erebus could land his attack, Tyson felt himself float and vanish. He closed his eyes and opened them to find himself flying above the heads of people he had never seen before.

"Tyson?!" One of them said aloud, surprised.

"Where am I?" The teen asked, floating down and standing next to a little girl that he recognized from the memories Chaos had accidently passed to him from their battle. He kneeled down next to the girl, "Seventeen?"

"How are you here?" Seventeen whispered, gazing at Tyson with something akin to wonder, "Humans have never been able to come here. How did you do it?" She glanced at the Elders behind Tyson, "Did anyone do it?"

"We haven't brought humans here since we created mankind. The only one who was closing to coming here was Daisuke, centuries ago." A male – Fifteen – answered as he glanced around the room, "How did you come here, Tyson Granger, child of the skies?"

"To be honest, I have no idea," He answered before standing up. He looked around, feeling as if he had seen this place before. When he looked out the windows, the teenager finally recognized this place as the place he and Kai had found themselves in during their battle in the World Tournament.

"There must be a reason, child of the skies, for your arrival to our chamber," The Sixth Elder said, looking at Tyson with curiosity. A small part of Tyson told him that it was because he looked a lot like Dragoon. Perhaps that small part of Tyson that had said that was the piece of Night's soul that was asleep inside his heart.

Wait. Tyson blinked, staring at the people in front of him as if he had barely seen them. These were the Seventeen Elders, the creators of the universe. If anyone could do anything to help with fate's design, it would be them!

"I think there is." Tyson thought aloud before turning to the lords and ladies of the universe – or universes – and spoke, "In this last battle, I saw the memories of Chaos. I felt his happiness, his love, his sadness and his hatred. I could feel how lonely he was inside his dark prisons. He saw the corruption of humanity throughout the ages and that sucks for him. He started seeing all of humanity as corrupted beings and that is what led to all of this. I'm sure the other members of the Forsaken Fallen felt the same way."

"I agree." Third said, leaning back on her seat, "Preach, Ty, preach."

Tyson grinned at the female and decided that he'd be great friends with this Elder. He cleared his throat before continuing, "So, as my grandpa would say, the Forsaken Fallen need better 'prison digs'."

"Prison digs?" First asked, looking amused at the way Tyson had phrased that. Everyone stared at her in awe, as she hadn't looked like that in almost centuries. A smiling First was a good thing, they all agreed.

"Yeah." Tyson nodded, "You have several dimensions, some of which you probably don't use. Instead of putting the members of the Forsaken Fallen alone in some dark prison where they'll be alone with only their thoughts and emotions again, put them together in a place where they'll be happy."

He looked down, remembering a distant memory where all of the Forsaken Fallen members – Nemesis, Hecate, Hades, Gaea, Ouranos, Tartarus, Dark Draciel, Dark Dragoon, Dark Driger, Dark Dranzer and Chaos – were all happily running through beautiful green meadows, acting like carefree children rather than powerful beasts that could destroy humanity. They all deserved that. They didn't deserve to be alone where they would suffer.

"That's a great idea," Second said, standing up. She looked around to see no one had stood up and blushed, "Um, well, I just-."

"Relax, Second," Third said, standing up and nodding, "I was thinking about doing the same thing." With that, all but one Elder stood and Tyson noticed it was the Fifteenth Elder. First Elder glanced at all the Elders and nodded.

"It's been decided, then." She turned to face Tyson and smiled. For a brief moment, that kind and gentle smile made Tyson think of home. First Elder walked towards him and placed her cool hands on his hands. They were small hands, Tyson noted before First placed a kiss on his forehead, catching him off guard. By the blank looks of the other Elders, neither were they.

"Thank you," She whispered, "for saving those who I thought I had been lost from me forever." She closed her eyes, her voice serious, "Eden Rivers, Riliane, Tsubasa Mizushima, Yudai, Nico Tsukino, Saori Ogata, Rikku Yamamoto and Aria Umezawa. Don't forget them, Tyson."

Tyson had no time to react before First pulled away, her gentle features disappearing as her face was suddenly cold and professional-like, "As the sentence of the Forsaken Fallen has changed, so will the sentence of the Seventeenth Elder. I propose an idea that will resolve both problems."

' _Don't forget, child of the skies, guardian of destruction. This might not be the end.'_ First's voice resounded inside his head before she pushed him and he fell, yelling out of reflex. He reached out for her before the world turned dark and he wouldn't stop falling. His eyes were heavy and he felt compelled to close his eyes. Then-.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Tyson woke up on the ground, people speaking around him loudly and he could hear someone crying. He was resting on someone's arms and, when he looked, he saw it was none other than his father. Bruce was holding him tightly, apologizing for something, while Hiro and Grandpa were looming over him, Hiro leaning heavily on Grandpa.

"Oh, Aya!" Tyson looked to see Aya sobbing in the arms of a young-looking couple who were, without a doubt, her parents. Her father – a blond man with light blue eyes – and her mother – a brunette with purple eyes – were showering Aya with kisses, her mother crying of joy.

Tyson looked around to find Nami hugging a woman with long black hair and light green eyes and a man with navy blue hair and blue eyes, the trio conversing in English. Nami was laughing, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The twins were hugging an older woman with blue hair and brown eyes, the woman squeezing them tightly and crying of joy, running her hands through the scars the twins possessed. Hikaru was smiling, hugging the woman tightly, while Shun was crying, the woman trying to comfort the younger twin.

Kaori was surrounded by brunettes who were all crying. Her sisters and brothers were apologizing for the mean things they had told her while her father stared at her as if seeing in her a new light while the only blonde – her stepmother – was kissing the girl's cheeks, laughing at seeing Kaori once again.

Tyson tried to find Riku and Rin but saw paramedics leaning over someone, Kai shouting Rin's name. A paramedic yelled "Clear" and then they said that his heart had started beating again. They carried the person – _Rin_ – onto a stretcher and the ambulance drove off.

"Wha-?" Tyson mumbled as his father continued to fuss over him, eyes seeing all his tired and wounded friends. He looked up at Hiro with tired eyes, "How did we get out?"

"Kai led us out, with a little help from Night," Hiro replied, "Grandpa called the ambulance and we're all heading over there right now. Riku, Ann, Takao and Rin went on ahead in the first ambulances but one is coming for all of us soon." He winced, "We all need it."

"Great." Tyson muttered, his eyes fluttering shut, "We're all okay. We're all okay, right? I sealed Chaos away." Hiro smiled down at his younger brother and nodded. Tyson was happy at that before he closed his eyes, falling asleep once more. Anyone would have tried to wake him up but, after what he had done, they knew that Tyson deserved rest.

After all, it was finally over.

Right?

Wrong, the universe whispered.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: Again, Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoyed because I lost some sleep trying to finish this chapter, especially the beybattle so apologies if it seemed rushed. Oh, my lovely Forsaken Fallen, I'll miss you all. The final chapters will be showing the aftermath of the battle, is setting up the sequel and will show the fates of our dearly beloved characters. See you guys in Chapter 30!**

 **MIAB chapters left until the END: 2**

 ****It's fun writing the Elders. I don't know if that's obvious. As for First's list of names that she gave to Tyson. Well, that'll be a mystery until EDIH. Muahahaha.****

 ****Child of the skies: obvious reference to him being Dragoon's tamer.****

 ****Guardian of destruction: reference to him sealing away Chaos, the first human to do so****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: World So Cold**

 **Song: World So Cold by Three Days Grace**

 **Preview (done by Ann because she wants to): Ann: The Forsaken Fallen are finally gone, dealt with adequately, or so says Tyson. Huh? How are Rin, Riku, Takao and myself doing? Well, am I allowed to lie and say 'fine'? No? Oh. Well, Tyson and Kai will have a lot of interaction so enjoy that. Huh? What do you mean that the Forsaken Fallen-.**


	31. Chapter 30: World So Cold

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors (?), torture, death (not to worry, it's just here just in case), a dash of angst, hints of yaoi, the return of the text that shows where everyone is at**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Dedication: To the awesome readers that I love and give me motivation to continue.**

 **Anime: Ahhhhhhh. *coughs* Welcome to chapter 30, which shows the aftermath of the battle of the Forsaken Fallen. I hope you guys enjoy.**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

'Speaking': Dizzi

"Speaking": Most of the characters

' _Speaking':_ Mind-communication

" _Speaking"_ : Soul bond mode

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **30: World So Cold**

 _Bey City, Japan (10:25 a.m., September 24)_

It was a cool, peaceful morning in the Kuwashima Central Hospital in Bey City. September was nearing its end, ushering in the start of October. The hospital was somber, people talking in hushed tones. The nurses were not trying to take breaks and doctors were trying their hardest to look good, as their bosses – Hikaru and Shun Kuwashima – were in the building, visiting their friends in the hospital.

In the top floor, the Kuwashima twins were visiting their friends in the hospital, the two of them also recovering from an accident the teens had suffered that was still a mystery. In one of the rooms, Tyson and Kai were on the bedside of an old friend, the younger holding a book and reading out loud.

Tyson yawned, pausing from reading, "This book is too long, Kai. Can't we get another one to read to Rin?" When Kai glared at him, Tyson flinched before looking back at the book, "I guess this one is perfect. Geez, does he have to like an author like Dan Brown? Why can't he like Dr. Seuss or Darren Shan?"

"Just read. I read one hundred pages already." Kai said, looking just as tired. He was still recovering from the attack Chaos had dealt him, plus the battle he had had with Dark Dranzer. Still, Dranzer had healed him and the others from serious harm.

Tyson grumbled, gesturing towards the crutches he had, "I'm still an invalid."

"You're lucky it wasn't worse, considering all the damage you and Dragoon suffered. Still, it's nothing compared to what Riku, Ann and Rin have." Kai replied, motioning towards Rin.

Tyson was silent, his eyes soft as he took in the small figure of Rin Mizushima. After Night had used Rin's body to help them fight and seal Chaos, Kai had said that Rin would wake up when his heart and soul were no longer shattered, a process that seemed to be hard for Night to be doing on his own.

Rin was lying down on the bed motionless, his skin so pale and lifeless that Tyson would've mistaken him for a corpse again. There were tubes sticking out of his skin while an oxygen mask covered most of his face. A shattered heart and soul, a sickly body and broken bones were taking a heavy toll on Rin.

"Speaking of which, how is Riku?" Tyson asked in a low tone. Kai looked at the navy-haired boy from the corner of his eye before standing up, drawing the curtains because he didn't like that he was going to share these dreadful news on such a pleasant day.

"Ray has been checking on him a lot. It seems that Ray and Driger's final attack and weeks of torture from Dark Driger damaged Riku's spinal cord badly. Riku won't ever be able to walk."

Tyson clenched his fingers into fists, "How did Ray react to this?"

"He's guilty, obviously. He never leaves Riku's side anymore and Max has to remind both of them to eat. Riku's been devastated by the news and refuses to leave the bed and refuses to see the wheelchair." Kai replied, remembering how lifeless Riku and Ray had looked like when he had peeked his head in to check up on the now paralyzed Riku.

The door slid open and Aya poked her head inside, the white streak of hair getting on her face, "Still nothing?" When Tyson shook his head, she sighed, entering the room. Aya was in the hospital for checkups, her parents having brought her in for the day. There weren't any lasting injuries with Aya, luckily, but she was stuck with her skunk spot, something she and her parents found cool.

"What's taking Night so long?" Aya asked, running her fingers softly through Rin's hair. She took one of his hands that was too frail compared to hers at that moment. She kneeled down next to Rin, "Night, take care of Rin, okay?" She kissed Rin's knuckle, suppressing the urge to cry, "Please hurry. I want to see him again."

"Aya, your turn to watch over him." Kai said as he and Tyson rose from their seats, Tyson grabbing his crutches like an expert. Aya nodded silently before they left. Tyson looked as grave as the dead, something that didn't encourage Kai as they headed down the hallways to Riku's room.

Tyson paused to hear commotion in the room Riku was in. They could hear Ray arguing with someone that was definitely not Riku – he wouldn't have been screaming at the poor boy – before the door slid open, a young man of eighteen or so getting out, followed by a little girl of nine.

Tyson was a little impressed at how similar the duo looked compared to Riku. The boy had the same hair color as Riku but his eyes were red instead of red-violet. He was dressed in a black suit, as if mourning someone. The look of anger, however, made him look way different from the usually-poker faced Riku. The little girl had grey hair that almost looked black but had violet eyes. She was dressed in a black sundress while her hair was up in two ponytails.

"Keep the little disgrace, if you want," The young man yelled as they approached, having a clear view of the teen and little girl and the inside of the hospital room, "What good is he to the Kuonji family as a cripple? I never acknowledged him as anyone, much less my brother. Who'd want to acknowledge a mad cripple, huh? Father and Mother should've let you die as a child!"

"Riku is worth more than your entire corporation," Ray yelled back, with Riku grabbing his arm to keep him from attacking his older brother – Riku had an older brother? – while he trembled, "So go die in a ditch, along with your entire family! You deserve nothing else!"

"Ray-tiger, please," Riku said softly, "leave Toshiro alone."

Riku's brother Toshiro snorted, holding the little girl back, "I don't need your sympathy, Riku. Let your brute of a friend keep talking. It won't change who and what you are-." He stopped when Tyson punched him right in the face. He fell to the ground, holding his cheek before glaring up at Tyson, the little girl looking at Tyson in awe, "Oh, so there are more brutes. What kind of company do you enjoy, Riku?"

"Tyson, the champ!" The girl said, looking excited, something Toshiro didn't look happy about.

"Please leave, Toshiro." Riku muttered weakly.

Oh, if only Rin was awake. He would've thrown Toshiro out the window and then would proceed to destroy the Kuonji family with the snap of his fingers. Tyson turned to see Kai, wondering if the grouch would do that but Kai shook his head, as if saying he wasn't worth it.

Toshiro stood and glanced back at Riku, "I'm only here because Grandmother made us promise to look after you. Otherwise, no one would've come for you."

"I said leave, Toshiro!" Riku yelled.

Toshiro stared at Riku in shock before doing so, "Let's go, Yone." He passed by Kai and said nothing, Yone looking at Kai with eyes filled with admiration. They entered the elevator and it was only until they were gone that Tyson asked Ray what had happened.

"Toshiro and Yone came in to the room and delivered some flowers before Toshiro started talking badly about Riku, as you just saw moments ago. I got mad then we started screaming at each other while Riku tried to stop us. You saw the rest."

"Sure did." Tyson muttered, seeing the scowl Kai had on. Maybe he was regretting not punching Toshiro in the face while he had the chance. Oh well, Tyson thought with a sigh.

"Thank you for hitting him, Ty-dragon." Riku whispered. He let go of Ray's arm and sat back on his bed. His tired eyes turned to face Tyson, "How is Rin-nii?" Ray looked at the two, the same question dancing in his eyes.

"No change." Kai responded and that was all that needed to be said. It wasn't that unexpected. Rin had been in a coma for a whole month and they were unsure when he'd wake up.

"Tyson?" The navy-haired teen turned around and was surprised at the male that had called him as it had been none other than Takao Kinomiya – Chaos's tamer – someone Tyson hadn't seen in ages. He had been in extensive care unit for some time. He had been in a bad shape, almost as bad as Rin. He had been recuperating for some time and he still was, judging by the hospital gown he was wearing.

"Takao. Are you okay?" Tyson asked the boy. When he had been admitted into the hospital, Takao had been severely dehydrated, starving, his nervous system was failing him, his heart had stopped at one point and some of his organs had begun to fail him. Luckily, Takao had lived through it all and was doing nicely. Tyson wondered briefly if the beasts or Elders had something to do about it.

Takao nodded, "I'm fine. I wanted to see Riku. He's okay?" He was scratching his arms that were covered in bandages and he looked very nervous. He wouldn't stop fidgeting, jumping at every noise he heard from the machines that were in every room. Ten years alone did make people jumpy, Tyson supposed.

"Of course." Riku answered, smiling at Takao. Tyson, Kai and Ray all shared a glance at that. Was Riku trying to reassure Takao? That was something new, as they were always trying to reassure Riku. Perhaps they had rubbed off on him.

Riku ran a hand through his now short hair before turning to the thin blunette, "I wanted to see how Rin-nii and Ann-nee were doing. Do you want to see too?" At Takao's nervous nod, Riku looked up at Ray, "Ray-tiger. Could you help me get on?" He gestured at the wheelchair.

This was a big step for Riku and everyone acknowledged that. He had been refusing to see the chair for weeks and now he wanted to get on it. Ray felt like a proud parent as he nodded. He helped the boy slowly get on the wheelchair, Riku touching the hand rests with a bit of sorrow in his eyes. No one blamed him. How would it be like, if you were able to use your two legs then, suddenly, you weren't able to?

Riku shook his head and looked up at Ray, nodding. Ray looked happy at that before he grabbed the handles on the back of the wheelchair and pushed the boy forward. The duo left the room for the first time since Riku was interned and they both felt better because of that. They headed towards Ann's room, Takao following like a happy puppy.

"Everything is getting better." Tyson thought happily.

"As better as they can get." Kai muttered, walking towards the window overlooking the parking lot. He looked down before gazing up at the sky, "You saw their home, Tyson. The land of the beasts and the realm of the Elders. How was it?"

"Why ask me that?" Tyson asked, making his way with his crutches towards his rival and looking up at the sky. Since it was still morning, there were no stars up. It was a shame, considering how that other place was filled with stars, "Besides, we have been in that place. Once, during the tournament."

"Yes but you saw _them_."

Tyson turned to Kai, "Okay, you're talking way too much. It's getting a little weird. Since when did you become Mr. Talkative?"

"You missed out on a lot." Kai replied to Tyson's question, "As for what I'm asking for: You met the ones that started this whole mess. You met the Elders."

"Well, you met Third Elder," Tyson answered, leaning closer to Kai without thinking about it. Kai said nothing about and, likewise, Tyson said nothing. The two were silent for a moment, Tyson waiting for Kai to speak again.

"You met First and the others, including the infamous Seventeenth Elder," Kai continued, "I wanted to meet them too. They're like gods, having created life and the universe. How did it feel being near them?"

Tyson glanced at Kai, "The same as me being around anyone else. They weren't glowing with holy aura or something. If I would have seen most of them in the streets, I would've just walked past them. They were normal. I wonder why omnipotent beings would want to look ordinary."

"Perhaps it's because they're omnipotent beings that they want to look ordinary." Kai responded, "Why would they-." He paused, squinting at something on the parking lot. Tyson looked at him oddly before he gestured at one of the high-class looking cars, "That's Voltaire's car."

The two shared a look – it was odd how they were communicating a lot with looks now – before they headed towards Rin's room. Who else would Voltaire visit, after all? As they approached, they heard snippets of a conversation:

"-Dr. Avilov is Rin's doctor-."

"-Then bring the doc over here, Voltaire-."

"-The hospital-."

Voltaire and Aya were arguing over Rin's immobile figure, the blonde girl looking at the old man with something akin to disgust and anger. Her arms were crossed, something that wasn't a good sign.

"What's going on?" Tyson asked, interrupting the two from arguing louder. Aya turned to Tyson and the blunette took a step back by the anger in the girl's violet eyes. He knew how Hilary was like when she was angry and knew, from what others had told him, Aya was a scarier force than the bossy brunette.

"Voltaire wants to transfer Rin to a hospital in Russia, which is a horrible idea." The blonde girl said, glaring at the old man.

"Rin isn't getting better in this hospital. He needs to be treated by Dr. Avilov, who has been his doctor even before he had been born. If anyone can treat him, it's him." Voltaire replied, glancing at the pale form in the bed then looking back at them.

Kai looked away. He had known for a long time that Rin had been Voltaire's favorite "grandson" yet it hurt to see how much love his grandfather was giving to the raven-haired boy who wasn't biologically related to him. He didn't blame him, though, as Voltaire had raised Rin since Natasha and Haru had died.

"This isn't something a doctor can cure." Aya shot back, "It doesn't matter if he gets better physically if Night doesn't heal his mind and soul. So what will moving him to Russia accomplish?"

"Rin is not getting better in Japan," Voltaire answered.

"Cut the crap, old man. You just want him to be in Russia because you don't want him close to Kai." Aya said, making everyone in the room – that was awake – jump, "Rin told me that you like to keep them apart, ever since their disastrous reunion when they were twelve. If Kai's in Japan, Rin has to be in Russia doing one of your errands. If Kai's in Russia, Rin's somewhere else in a business meeting. Then you're practically glued to Rin's side-."

Aya stopped, as realization dawned on her. She looked at Kai and then Rin, "Or is it that _you_ don't want to be close to Kai." Kai looked away and Voltaire did not try to look at him. Aya looked at Tyson with an emotion Tyson did not understand.

"Rin was always the favorite grandson," Kai said, "He did everything Voltaire told him to do, without question. Then, when the mess with BioVolt happened, Rin cut ties with Voltaire and you," This was directed at Voltaire, although grandson and grandfather did not look at each other, "were distraught that your favorite abandoned you. After all, you seemed happy when Rin came to the manor for the first time in years."

"I was happy because he decided to revive the ties with the Hiwatari family." Voltaire answered, "Revive his ties with you."

"Why are you so happy about that?" Kai asked, Aya and Tyson awkwardly standing in the middle of the family feud.

"Because I thought he'd finally accept the proposition I made to him when he was twelve. He never said yes or no, even now, even then when he and Eden-." Voltaire cut himself off and Tyson lifted his head. Eden? Could it be the Eden that First told him to look out for? Suddenly, this conversation interested Tyson.

"Proposition?"

"No." A hoarse voice whispered, "The answer is no."

They all froze before turning to look at the pale figure on the bed. Although they were tired and heavy-lidded, blue eyes stared at them with interest, "I already told you, Voltaire. Kai can only be my friend, nothing more, nothing less. I thought that had been clear since a year ago."

"Rin!" Aya cried out before running out the room, yelling at the top of her lungs, "He's awake! He's finally awake!"

"I am afraid to know what the proposition was." Kai said before Rin closed his eyes, looking as tired as he had when he had been in the coma, "Yet, it concerns me so I would like to know what it was."

Rin opened his eyes, "Marriage."

Tyson and Kai both flinched and Rin coughed, throat dry from disuse. At that moment, Kaori, Nami, Riku, Takao, Ray and the twins rushed into the room, followed closely by Max, Kenny, Daichi and Hilary. Voltaire left the room as the others crowded inside, delighted at the raven's awakening.

"What have I missed?" Rin croaked before Zeo gave him a water bottle with a straw attached. Rin drank before he was hugged by Aya, who began to cry. He chuckled, "Come on, Aya, I thought you weren't going to cry anymore."

"I know I said that but I can't help I'm emotional," She replied, burying her face in Rin's chest. He patted her head and looked at everyone with a soft smile that showed how tired he was yet it also showed how happy he was.

"There's a lot of you," He said, after a while, "I just feel tired seeing all of you cramped up in this small room."

"We'll let you get your energy later, you introvert," Hikaru said with a grin, Shun smiling at Rin, "But, for now, let's just all celebrate that you're finally awake. I guess Night really is a miracle worker, fixing your soul and heart."

"Yeah, he is." Rin said, gazing at the window, "He worked diligently while I slept, dreaming of something that I know will never happen." He looked wistfully up at the sky and closed his eyes, "Eventually, we all wake up from dreams. Reality's sweeter, anyways."

Everyone seemed to agree with that.

"This feels like our happily ever after."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

The world was dark. It was cold, making the small being trapped in it tremble. Torn wings wrapped themselves tightly, as if that could help ease the cold it felt. The small being was trapped in the cold darkness in a soundless place. It felt itself regretting the life it had led, as if that could help.

Suddenly, a white light in the darkness appeared, showering the small being in a warm light, voice coming out from that white light, "Hey, wake up."

Huh?

"Stop keeping us waiting, Suzaku,"

The dark phoenix opened her eyes to find herself resting on top of a meadow, Dark Dragoon and Dark Driger leaning over her, both of them looking relieved to find her awake.

"What? Where am I?" She asked, sitting up to survey her surroundings. The meadow they were in was surrounded by large trees that seemed to hide them from the world. The sky was a clear blue and a waterfall that began from the sky poured out, landing somewhere close by. A wind blew softly, making their hair sway.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Dark Dragoon said.

"We all woke up here, wondering that same question." Dark Driger said, standing up. Dark Dragoon did the same, extending his hand out to Dark Dranzer. She took it – Dark Driger frowned, looking a bit jealous – and stood. She looked down on herself, seeing bare feet and what appeared to be a Greek-styled tunic. She grabbed her hair and noticed it was her shade of red.

"Is this . . . my body?" She asked, staring at her ivory skin. She felt her wings on her back and felt them. To her disappointment, they were still torn.

"Yeah," Dark Dragoon answered, "We all woke up in our physical bodies." He grabbed his hair, sighing, "I missed my own body, you know?"

Dark Dranzer grinned before she began to run, taking to the skies with a laugh. The two just stared at her laughing as she flew around. The duo looked at each other, both awkwardly aware that they were in love with the same beast.

"No going 'Erebus'?" Dark Dragoon asked, sticking out his hand out to Dark Driger, who nodded, taking the other's hand. Dark Dragoon smiled, wanting to crush Dark Driger's fingers, "I will win Suzaku's heart, okay?"

"Not without a fight." Dark Driger responded, the two glaring daggers at each other. Dark Dragoon snorted before he took to the skies, the wind carrying him to where Dark Dranzer flew. The dark tiger spirit huffed, annoyed that he couldn't fly.

"Wipe that look off your face," Dark Draciel laughed, coming out of the trees, followed closely by Gaea, Ouranos, Tartarus, Hecate, Hades and Nemesis. They were all staring at him with a look he couldn't understand and, for some reason, that annoyed him.

Dark Dranzer landed on the ground upon seeing everyone had gathered in the meadow. She looked around, "Hey, where's Chaos?" Dark Dragoon landed on the ground next to her, looking a little upset. She looked up, "Do you think that he hasn't been sealed yet?"

"Maybe he stayed in his own prison, away from us." Hecate said, twirling her hair in worry, "The Elders could be punishing him."

"I don't think so," Dark Draciel said, her tone serious. They all turned to her as she clutched her chest, her hair whipping around her face, "If they did that, Chaos's madness would worsen, along with his hatred against the Elders. They wouldn't benefit from it. They would try to make things right, not worse. That's what I believe, anyways."

"So he's okay?" Dark Dranzer asked. At Dark Draciel's nod, she gave out a sigh of relief before letting herself fall back on the soft grass. She looked up at the sky with the smile, "This place almost reminds me of home."

"In what regard?" Dark Dragoon asked, laying down next to her. The others frowned at their actions before Dark Draciel laid down next to them. With that, they all let themselves lay down, looking up at the blue sky that looked unreal and out of their reach.

Dark Dranzer lifted her hand, pointing at the waterfall, "There was a fall like that, back home. Chaos, Night and," She paused, as if afraid to say his name out loud, "Erebus found it. Don't you remember?"

"I do." Gaea said, creating a rabbit with her sand before it took off hopping.

"But this looks better than home." Ouranos inputted, gazing at the sky with admiration. He grabbed his twin's hand, gripping it, "The air is fresher, the sky is clearer and everything seems to be cleaner than anywhere else."

"Maybe it's because it's only us." Nemesis suggested, lifting her hand as if reaching out to the distant sun. She looked at Hades from the side, who looked at a flower as if he remembered Persephone. With a flick of her wrist, Hecate got rid of the flower and Hades thanked her.

"No, you're all wrong."

They all looked to Dark Dranzer, her eyes still gazing up at the sky. She grinned, "It's because we're free of everything." She grabbed the hands of the two beasts next to her – Dark Dragoon and Dark Driger – before continuing, "Free of the Earth, free from the mortals, free from the Elders, free of the chains that bound us, free of the hatred we harbored for everything. And I know that, somewhere out there, Chaos is too."

"We're free." Hades said, closing his eyes and smiling. They all closed their eyes, breathing in the air. They all held hands, enjoying the breeze of the wind and the sound of the water in the distance.

As the members of the Forsaken Fallen relaxed under the new sky, in a new world, a person in a distance watched over them. It was none other than the Third Elder, the female looking relieved at the peaceful looks of the tormented beasts.

Tyson was right. The Forsaken Fallen had deserved more for what they had suffered. Now, they were going to be fine, free from the worries that once plagued them. Here they would live on, in a prison with no locks where they could be with each other.

They were finally free.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: One more chapter left for the end and the end of 2016 is finally upon us! Ahh, I'm going to miss writing this story. These guys are great. Welp, review please!**

 **MIAB chapters left until the END: 1**

 ****Hello, Toshiro and Yone Kuonji. And goodbye! Have I mentioned how sad Riku's life is? Yes? Huff. My hatred for the Kuonji is bigger than my hatred of Erebus and that's saying something.****

 ****As I said, I do ship Kai and Rin but, if it's not obvious, I'll prefer TyKa over it. Voltaire wanted his grandson to be with the only person he approved of. Obviously, Rin never liked the idea and Kai will prefer Tyson over Rin.****

 ****Rin's an introvert, like me. Too many people around make us weaker.****

 ****The love triangle of Dark Driger x Dark Dranzer x Dark Dragoon will still be around in their prison. May the best beast win.****

 ****Say, where is Chaos?****

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Next chapter: Lost in Thoughts All Alone**

 **Song: Lost in Thoughts All Alone by Amanda Lee**

 **Preview (done by Night): Night: The end has arrived. Well, as close to an end as you can imagine. Perhaps it is not an end but the beginning of a new story. Fate's favorite puppets will dance their final song. Who is the one singing the final melody?**


	32. Epilogue: Lost In Thoughts All Alone

**Rating: T+**

 **Warnings: OOCness, OCs, rantings from a mad author, grammatical errors(?), torture, death, a dash of angst, yaoi (if I offend anyone, sorry. I couldn't resist)**

 **Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Beyblade, only the plot and the OCs. Beyblade belongs to their rightful owners. Please support the official release.**

 **Beta: None for this chapter**

 **Anime: After a year or so, it seems we're closing the year off with the end of this story. I'll really miss it. *cries* I'll miss MIAB. To the chapter!**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Epilogue: Lost In Thoughts, All Alone**

 _Japan, November 23 10:17 a.m._

In an abandoned facility hidden in a dense forest that would've been overlooked by the visitors had they not known the way, a small group of teenagers were gathered, all of them placing flowers in a memorial that listed the name of several people that only some of them knew.

"I can't believe you finally decided to come, Ri-kun," Shun said, replacing the withered white roses for new ones. The boy was dressed in black jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt. He moved his bangs aside, revealing a scar on his eye, "I'm pretty sure that they're happy to see us." He leaned on Hikaru's shoulder, his twin wrapping an arm around him. With both of them wearing the same clothes, people would've confused them. However, Hikaru's scar on his cheek and Shun's scar on his eye now told the twins apart.

"You did take forever to visit," Aya answered, her blonde hair – plus her 'skunk' streak – tied up in a loose ponytail. She was dressed in a dark red sweater, a black skirt, knee-high white socks and a white scarf. She held in her hands a vase filled with fresh asters for the fallen children.

"I was tied up in a straight-jacket, Aya-mermaid," Riku said, Kaori holding onto the handles on his wheelchair. Riku's hair had grown past his ears and was wearing a dark blue sweater and black pants. He was knitting something, smiling down at it, "I don't know the excuses of the others."

"Cheeky brat." Kaori laughed. The brunette had kept her hair short, her mismatch-colored eyes no longer hidden by her long bangs. She was dressed in dark brown pants, a white shirt, a black vest and dark blue blader gloves while Arion's bit hung around her neck proudly.

"Let's not fight in front of everyone," Nami stated, chastising the others. The young girl didn't have her trademark twin ponytails, but had her long hair down. She was wearing a dark pink sweater, a dark blue skirt and white knee-high socks. She was also cleaning up the altar.

"We weren't fighting." Kaori answered back.

"So, why did we all decide to come here instead of helping the others organize Tyson's birthday party?" Raul asked, Julia placing small toys on the altar that served as a reminder for the others that had not survived. The twins, like Hikaru and Shun, were wearing identical black pants and red shirts, although Raul was wearing a black scarf.

"To pay our respects to our friends," Hiro answered, Ann clinging to him. The oldest of the group was dressed in a dark gray shirt, a red jacket and dark blue pants while Ann, the second eldest, was dressed in a black dress, as if mourning the death of the children. Her bangs covered her eyes while she remained silent.

"Right," Raul said, reading the names of the other children that had not survived the Forsaken Fallen. His eyes softened, "It's been ten years, huh?"

"Crazy, if you think about it a lot." Kaori said, pushing Riku so he could read the names. He crossed out Ann's name, the same way he had done to Rin's. It gave him some happiness to do that, at least.

"It all started in this place," Aya sighed, lighting incense candles. They were all silent, as there were no words to describe how they all felt. She kneeled down, the others doing the same, "This is where we all met. Us, Tyson and Rin. And Fuyu-san, of course."

"I always looked back on them as bad memories," Nami started before smiling, "Now, after all we've been though, I think I can see the positive thing about it."

"And that is?" Hikaru asked, hugging Shun closer to himself, as if keeping the boy away from his girlfriend, something Nami did not appreciate.

"Meeting you guys," She said, "getting to understand the beasts." They were all silent, glancing at the spots where Chaos had once branded them with his mark. Those brands had disappeared three days after the Forsaken Fallen had been defeated but it seemed they'd always feel its presence, no matter what.

"I guess that is a good thing to think about," Riku declared, pausing in his knitting. He hummed, "Where was Ty going to go, again?"

"To visit the Forsaken Fallen, Riku," Kaori answered, "which is convenient for us because we need to head on over to the dojo and help out with the party."

"Do we have to?" Ann whispered. She didn't feel like leaving this place, as if afraid of abandoning the children here again. Hiro noticed, as the girl's grip on his arm was tight.

"Don't worry, Ann-bat," Riku answered, turning to face the girl, "we'll come back and visit them."

Aya nodded, heading out the door, "Come on, Ann, we got a birthday to celebrate."

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 _Japan, November 23_ 3:45 p.m.

Tyson walked a path that he remembered seeing in Chaos's memories, along with Dragoon's. He had never been here before and yet it all felt so familiar to him, as if this place was as familiar as the Granger dojo. As it was already the beginning of winter, Tyson had worn a warm red jacket, dark blue jeans and a black scarf that Riku had knitted for him when the other boy had been hospitalized and had given it to him this morning, as it was his birthday.

The now-sixteen year old finally got out of the dense forest and was now in a beautiful meadow that seemed untouched by pollution and the cool weather. In the middle of the meadow, there was a collection of stones. No doubt Saori had put them there, by Daichi's request.

He kneeled in front of one of the small stones that had a destroyed beyblade on top of it. He dusted the small stone and smiled, remembering who was the one the gravestone belonged to, "Hi Night. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

He placed a white rose on the grave and sighed, "Things have been pretty hectic over here. Hopefully, it's not like that in your case. I wonder what the bit-beasts do in the afterlife. Or, in your case, in the afterlife and in the hearts of two humans." He looked up at the still blue sky and thought it was a shame there were no stars up yet. He would have felt closer to Night, the holy beast of the gentle darkness.

"We've all recuperated, thanks to our bit-beasts so thank them too if you can. Aya, Kaori, Nami and the twins are attending my school now and they're trying their best to fit in. Unfortunately, they keep standing out because of their nature. Hikaru is already getting into fights, something Shun doesn't appreciate.

"Takao, Riku and Ann are living with me and Grandpa right now while Kai and Rin sort things out with the authorities concerning their legal guardians and all that. Hiro has been taking care of all three of them and has considered getting a cane for Ann." Tyson chuckled, "Of course, she wants a seeing-eye dog so they're still arguing over that.

"Good news, the protestors have stepped down and it seems that we're going to have our tournament after all." Tyson scratched the back of his head, as he remembered everything Mr. Dickenson told him, "Of course, we will have some restrictions but Mr. Dickenson will sort things out.

"Hey, in other news, Max and Ray like each other." Tyson sat down with his legs crossed after he got tired of kneeling, "Of course, they haven't confessed their feelings yet but they'll get there. Just like Riku with Hilary. And Aya with Hiro." Tyson rolled his eyes, "She's been a bit annoying since Max helped her get over Rin and Kai. Now she's trying to date Hiro. I wonder if he'll give her a chance.

"Speaking of Rin, he's well now. Maybe you finally helped heal him mentally so his physical recovery went by smoothly. He's part of the Board of Directors in the new BBA. Kai says that Rin might take the fun out of blading and Rin retaliated by throwing a shoe at him. They're friends again, I think. Well, does calling people bastard count as being part of a friendship?"

Tyson looked at the stones behind Night's grave. There were actually thirteen of them, eleven representing the Forsaken Fallen, the twelfth being Fuyu's grave and the thirteenth being Sasha's grave. The stones all marked the spot where the bit-chips had been buried, part of Max's idea. Max said that they had hated being sealed in the desolate temple where they had resided for thousands of centuries. Being in this peaceful place may calm them down. Well, it seemed to be working. Unlike Black Dranzer, who they had to put in a storage room because he wouldn't stop causing accidents in the dojo.

"Did you all get what you wanted?" Tyson asked, resting a hand on his chest where his heart was. Seeing their pasts made him sympathize with all of them, especially Chaos. Hopefully, they were in better prisons than the ones they had been in last time. They needed some solace, after all.

"Tyson, what are you doing here?"

Tyson turned around to see Rin standing behind him, carrying a bouquet of fourteen roses, along with a small flower bracelet. Rin, like Tyson, was dressed for the cool weather. He was wearing a warm blue jacket, a red scarf and black pants. Tyson said nothing while Rin sat down, lowering his scarf so his nose and mouth were visible, placing each rose in front of a stone, "I was talking to Night."

"Did you tell him about you and Kai?" Rin smirked and Tyson looked away. A downside of having Rin being freed from Dark Dranzer's grasp and having the chance to be happy again: he wouldn't stop teasing Kai and Tyson about their relationship. He had even called some maids from his manor, asking for the money from their bet.

"Shut up." Tyson groaned while Rin laughed. He seemed much more relaxed now than in years. Well, that's what Kai had told him. Rin laughed and smiled more and occasionally cracked jokes. He was still an introvert and a grouch but at least he talked with them more now. Night must have healed his heart better than they had thought.

"I'm just teasing, Tyson," Rin said, chuckling weakly, "Night saw it coming. Well, everyone saw it coming, even Daichi. Except those two maids I employ. They still owe me money."

"Geez, you're enjoying this situation, aren't you?" Tyson mumbled while ignoring the impish grin – _Natasha's impish grin as she spoke with the child Rin that was always smiling_ – on Rin's face, "You still haven't stopped saying 'I told you so' to Kai. He's getting annoyed by that."

"Why do you think I do it?" Rin laughed, looking up at the sky, "The days are getting cooler, don't you think? It's almost winter. And yet, the flowers and trees in this place still think it's spring."

"Weird, right?" Tyson said before also looking up, the two seeing the clouds slowly drift in the large blue canvas called the sky, "It's as if they're keeping it like this."

"I wonder about that." Rin said softly before standing up, stretching lightly, "Anyways, we should be getting back. Kai asked me to bring you to the dojo. He's got a surprise for you, or so he said."

"Alright." Tyson said as he stood, stretching his arms above his head. He remembered something and turned to Rin with an excited gleam in his eyes, "Hey, can I ride your motorcycle this once?"

"Not a chance, Ty. I don't care if it is your birthday," Rin said before he began to walk, pulling his scarf up to cover his nose, "My bike, my rules. You're in the back and you get the blue helmet. The black one is still mine." Tyson rolled his eyes as they left the small graveyard. Before they left, Tyson felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see that there was nothing there. Rin stopped walking, lowering his red scarf to speak, "What's wrong?"

"I thought that . . ." Tyson shook his head, "Never mind. It was nothing. Now, let's get going! I have a birthday to celebrate."

"Oh, wait. I lied. You're riding on the side car of my bike."

"What?!" Tyson asked, looking at Rin in horror, "Why?!"

Rin smirked back at him and gestured at some place in the distance. When Tyson looked, he saw someone was waiting by Rin's motorcycle. When he saw the familiar white scarf flying like some kind of flag, he knew who it was.

"So you're the reason I'm in the side car?" Tyson asked his boyfriend, who smirked at him. Kai was also wearing a dark blue shirt, a black leather jacket and black jeans. He looked like the epitome of cool, which wasn't surprising.

"Adults go on the motorcycle, children on the sidecar." Kai said, tossing Rin his riding helmet.

Rin smirked, "Sorry, Ty. He called the seat." He got on top of the motorcycle, putting on his helmet, "Now, get on. We need to get going to the dojo. Everyone is waiting for us."

Tyson huffed, sitting on the sidecar looking upset. Rin and Kai shared a glance before Kai whispered something in Tyson's ear. The blunette blushed and the two Russian snickered. Tyson glared, "You guys are jerks."

"Yeah, but we do love you." Rin said, the helmet hiding the smile. Before Tyson could say anything in regards to that, Rin started the engine and the three drove off in the direction of the dojo, anticipating the birthday of the navy-haired blader.

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

Chaos didn't expect to wake up in a meadow surrounded by so many flowers. He also did not expect to wake up under a huge tree on Seventeen's lap, her hands running through his hair the way she used to when he was first created, in the good days before he had been confined to his hell tower. He sat up, looking at her in wonder, "Are you real?"

Seventeen looked down at herself and patted her face and laughed, "I think I am." She patted his back, not missing the look of happiness the beast had, "Calm down, Chaos. You look as if you found out you're getting a puppy or something." She was cut off from saying anything else when Chaos hugged her, burying his face in her shoulder. She was surprised before she hugged him back, running her hand up and down his back.

"You're not dead." Chaos whispered.

"Eh, First pulled some strings with Yggdrasil's help," Seventeen replied, "No one wanted me dead and no one wanted me alive. The compromise is that I was exiled and I now have to live here, if you can believe that." She motioned at the place, Chaos getting out of the hug to take it all in.

The sky was so clear that he could see Earth and several planets, galaxies and stars from here. The air was so fresh, it reminded him of his home. He could see a lake in the distance and see that it was crystal clear. This tree seemed to be the only one for miles but he could see mountains in the distance. He could hear a harp playing in the distance while he could hear a water from a cascade. Flower petals danced in the air, one falling on his nose. This place . . . was better than home.

"If this is the place where you were exiled to, why couldn't they exile me here centuries ago?" He asked before frowning, "I was sealed away, wasn't I? I remember the last attack before everything went dark."

"As I said, First pulled some strings," Seventeen said before standing up. Chaos looked at her properly and saw she was wearing her Elder clothes – a pure white robe – while her hair reached the back of her knees. Before his eyes, she changed into a light blue dress with long sleeves that was long enough to hide her feet while her hair shrunk so it reached up to her back.

"And what does that mean?" He asked, standing up. Once he was up, they both began to walk. Well, Seventeen looked as if she was gliding rather than walking. He noticed he was wearing his familiar looking black robes with white trimmings and, to his delight, he was still wearing Sasha's flower bracelet.

"Well, you were going to go back to that dark prison where you were sealed into," Chaos made a face before Seventeen patted him, "So were the others. But I guess you can say that certain people asked First to not do that."

"So the other members of the Forsaken Fallen-?"

Seventeen smiled at him gently before looking up at the sky, "Sealed in another dimension where they can be happy. A world that they desperately wished for. I am certain they'll be happy there." She picked up a flower before she threw it into the sky, making it transform into a thrush that flew to the distance.

"So why didn't I go with them?"

Seventeen hummed, "Because there is something here that you'll like." At Chaos's questioning look, she huffed, "I'm not telling you yet. It's a surprise, you know. Don't be so boring."

"Right, right," He rolled his eyes, having forgotten how childish Seventeen was. He heard soft singing in the distance and looked around, "So, who in the world is singing? And who wanted us to be in better prisons?"

"Well," Seventeen stopped to grin back at him, "I can only answer one of those questions, okay?" She continued to walk, occasionally catching the flower petals that danced to close to her, "The ones that asked First for you guys to be in a better place was Tyson."

"He really requested that?"

Seventeen nodded, "After the battle, Tyson's astral projection appeared in the Chamber of the Elders, the first human to ever land in there and we're still wondering how he did that. He asked for you to be given better 'prison digs' and all the Elders seconded that."

"All of them?"

Seventeen stuck out her tongue, "Everyone but Fifteen."

Chaos rolled his eyes, "Of course." The music seemed to be getting louder and it sounded familiar to him. He cocked his head to the side, a puzzled expression in his eyes, before asking, "Who's singing?"

Seventeen pointed at a cherry blossom tree, "When we reach that place, you'll find out who it is." They continued walking to the cherry blossom tree and Chaos could hear the harp clearly now, the familiarity of the melody eating him up.

"That tune. Is that-?"

" _One day, you will realize_

 _The stars you are chasing_

 _Shine bright deep inside you_

 _But will you ever let it_

 _Shine from within and cast all of your fears aside?_

 _You'll see the light but until that day comes."_

Chaos stopped right in his tracks, his eyes wide. He turned at Seventeen, not knowing if this was some kind of prank to haunt him or if this was real. By the look in Seventeen's face, it was real.

" _My dearly beloved,_

 _Be strong, I shall be there_

 _Always, here beside you_

 _So keep your head held high_

 _The shadows of this world will try to steal_

 _You away into their arms_

 _But you belong in mine."_

"Are you serious?" He whispered, as if he was afraid that he'd wake up in a dark prison instead of here. He was afraid of finding out this was a dream. Because, damn it, this was his dream. A dream he thought would never come to life.

" _We are one within a dream_

 _So hold me close and count the stars with me_

 _All our scattered memories_

 _I will find the pieces, one by one."_

Chaos ran, ignoring the look on Seventeen's eyes. If this was real, then he wanted to see that with his own eyes. As he approached the cherry tree, he could see the silver harp with someone very familiar playing it.

Much to his embarrassment, he started to cry.

" _Ocean waves drift over me_

 _I'll keep you in my memory_

 _This dream that lives within your eyes_

 _I wish to see it come to life."_

"It's really you."

The person that Chaos had cared so much for was real. The person who was his dream, the one who had been ripped out of his grasp because of his own selfish desires. That person was real.

" _A thousand blades unto the sky_

 _Reach out and link our worlds, yours and mine_

 _Let the tide rush over you and one day I know_

 _We shall meet again_

 _My dearly beloved, be strong, I shall be there_

 _Always here beside you, so keep your head held high_

 _The shadows of this world will try to steal you away into their arms_

 _But you belong in mine_

 _My dearly beloved."_

Playing the harp, as if nothing had ever happened to him, was none other than Night. Chaos stopped right in front of him, hand over his mouth to avoid releasing the sob he was holding. Night smiled, his eyes as gentle as always. He was wearing a pure white robe while he was surrounded by a silver aura. He looked unreal.

" _Hello there, Chaos."_ Night whispered, letting out a chuckle. He walked forward, standing a couple of feet away from Chaos.

"You bastard." Chaos sobbed before tackling Night into a hug, much to the other's surprise. Chaos sobbed, "Do you have any idea what you did to me when you died?! Do you know how long I mourned you?! Do you know how I felt when I saw you help Tyson and Dragoon?! And you have the gall to just say 'hello there?'?!" Night felt Chaos punch him in the stomach, making him cough a little as he got winded, "You're such an idiotic moron!"

Night patted Chaos's back, _"I apologize. I suppose I should have been more tactful."_ He untangled himself from the other beast's embrace, wiping Chaos's tears from his cheeks, _"If you reacted like this, I am afraid to see how Max and the others would react to seeing me like this, in my physical form."_

"I hope they kick your scrawny ass so badly, you die again." Chaos replied, obviously peeved.

Night pouted, _"Chaos, I thought you missed me? Now you are wishing for my death again? That is cruel."_

"Of course I missed you, you idiot." Chaos responded, scowling, "Don't you ever make me go through that again or I swear I'll go to the land of the stars and drag you here!" He wiped his tears away before smiling, "I really missed you, Night. I'm glad that I can see you again."

" _I feel the same way."_ Night answered, grabbing Chaos's hands and closing his eyes, _"I do apologize for causing you all grief. But it was not like I knew the manner in which I would die."_

"Says the one that can read the stars." Chaos grumbled, Night rolling his eyes and smiling. Seventeen watched from the distance, seeing how happy the two were. Chaos and Night, one of fate's favorite pair of marionettes. She was glad that the strings on them had been cut and so they could be happy together once more.

" _I apologize for that too, Chaos,"_ Night answered before turning to Seventeen, _"We also wanted to bring Sasha's spirit here but it seems that her fractured spirit is still missing."_

"That's okay." Chaos answered, sitting down and tugging Night down so they could sit down together in the ground. He turned to Seventeen, "How did First make this happen? Getting Night's spirit here, I mean?"

" _She asked Yggdrasil for his spirit. Luckily, some fragments of his soul are in Tyson and Rin so that tied Night down to the physical world. As such, he can appear here, in the world between life and death."_ Seventeen answered.

"So this is my permanent prison?" Chaos asked before closing his eyes, the gentle breeze making his dark locks of hair move slightly. His grip on Night's hand tightened and he took a deep breath before opening it, "No. This is my paradise." He leaned on Night's shoulder, "I have the two people that hold a piece of my heart here with me, people I thought I had lost forever because I was a fool. This is not a bad prison."

"Right," Seventeen agreed, looking up to see the Earth, reaching up for it, "This is our home. And it's just you, Night and me here. Might get boring for me being a third wheeler after a while but I think I can handle that. I'll just have to entrust the Earth to Third and the brave bladers that have saved it for so long."

" _The Earth is in good hands, Seventeen, Chaos,"_ Night answered, also looking up, _"I trust them. I know that they will protect that world until the end of their days."_

Chaos smiled before looking up to the sky to see the world he had nearly destroyed. The world Sasha and Night loved, the world he and the others wished to make beautiful once again. It seemed, however, that it was just as beautiful as the first time he had seen it. Perhaps it was more beautiful because he had left the world knowing that there were still light in the hearts of the humans.

"Take care of that beautiful world, everyone."

In Earth, in a certain dojo in Japan, Tyson was busy opening his gifts when he felt a sudden breeze, some white petals floating inside. Riku noted that there were no blossoms in bloom at this time while they all distantly heard a voice in the breeze that had passed by.

"We will," Tyson muttered to the wind, causing Night, Chaos and Seventeen to smile from their dimension so far from them. The world was in good hands, after all. After so long, Seventeen finally relaxed while Night sighed in relief.

Everything was going to be fine after all.

 **END**

 _ **~~~MIAB~~~**_

 **Anime: That is the conclusion of MIAB. Everyone is happy because they really deserved it after everything I made them go through. TyKa is canon, Rin is happy (Rin: finally) and Night is back with Chaos (I ship them too much, guys. Help). I think this is their happy ending. Kinda.**

 **Chaos: What do you mean by that?**

 **Anime: *grins***

 **Kai: Oh great.**

 **Anime: I want to thank everyone that bothered to read this to the end because I never expected anyone to have read this. So thank you all. Without your support, this story – that helped me go back to writing after I thought I was done – would never have existed. The sequel will take some time to post but, in the meantime, I can't wait to see some of you in the other Beyblade stories I plan on working on. See you all later. This is Whims of Anime, signing off!**


End file.
